Competition Theory Research Articles

Silent responsiveness: How public opinion affects party discourse on wedge issues

AbstractHow does public opinion affect political discourse on issues that parties struggle to deal with? Although scholars tend to analyse party–voter linkages in terms of policy positions, parties can respond to public opinion by changing both the positions and the salience of their policy agenda. Based on original time‐series data of party discourse and voter preferences in France, Italy and the United Kingdom (1992–2016), this paper analyses how mainstream parties have changed their political discourse on European integration in response to an increasingly Eurosceptic public. Results show that mainstream parties have adapted their positions to changes in public opinion and have at the same time deemphasized European Union issues in their discourse as the public grew Eurosceptic. Parties did not talk more about Europe even when they followed the tides of public opinion. These findings challenge our current understanding of party responsiveness, have implications for theories of party competition, and contribute to debates on the legitimacy of the European project.

Influence of Strategic Human Resource Capability on the Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Seed Companies in Kenya

The objective of this study was to look into the influence of strategic capabilities on the sustainable competitive advantage of seed companies in Kenya. The theories that supported the study were: Human Capital Theory and Competitive Advantage Theory. The research adopted a positivist approach because the role of the researcher was limited to data collection and interpretation in a manner which was observable and verifiable. The research used cross-sectional and descriptive where qualitative data was collected through reviewing of company manuals. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 76 private seed firms in Kenya, using stratified sampling technique, with 280 respondents from top management, finance, operations, and information communication technology departments. Strategic human resource capability was found to be positively related to sustainable competitive advantage (R= 0.356, p<0.05; β= 0.34542, p<0.05). Changes in sustainable competitive advantage among seed companies could be accounted for by strategic human resource capability for up to 12 percent. In conclusion, strategic human resource capabilities had a significant influence on the sustainable competitive advantage of seed companies in Kenya. This conclusion was supported by the study models’ statistics that indicated that strategic human resource capabilities influenced sustainable competitive advantage among seed companies in Kenya. Seed companies should foster a culture of continuous learning by the staff, job rotations and promote knowledge transfer. Skills identification and recruitment from the industry will promote the use of technology and benchmarking with industry best practices are encouraged to enhance organization strategic human resource capabilities.

Trailblazing the path for marketing ethics: the profound influence of Shelby Hunt

ABSTRACT Shelby Hunt’s contributions to marketing ethics theory and research include major accomplishments and contributions. We reviewed the following areas of his research: the Hunt-Vitell Theory of Marketing Ethics; marketing ethics issues and problems faced by managers; and the ethical dimensions of The Resource-Advantage Theory of Competition. Articles used in testing Shelby’s theories are included in the discussion. The Ferrell and Gresham Contingency Framework for understanding ethical decision-making is compared to the Hunt-Vitell model. These models are seen as complementary and symbiotic. Personal observations and experiences with Shelby are shared to reflect upon his life as a scholar and friend. Finally, suggestions are made for future opportunities for research in marketing ethics.

КОНКУРЕНЦІЯ: ГЕНЕЗИС ІСТОРИЧНИХ ПІДХОДІВ ТА СУЧАСНІ ФОРМИ КОНКУРЕНТНИХ ВІДНОСИН МІЖ СУБ’ЄКТАМИ ГОСПОДАРЮВАННЯ

Competition is one of the key categories and an integral attribute of a market economy. The ambiguity of this phenomenon forms many of its definitions, various concepts and methods of its research. Despite the general development of economic science and improved understanding of the functioning mechanism of the market economic system, there is still no generally accepted theory of competition. At the same time, the need to create such a theory is constantly growing due to profound changes taking place in the economic systems of states. These transformations provoke the emergence of new forms of competitive relations between subjects of the world market, which are related to the impact of scientific and technological progress on economic development. The article examines and summarizes various concepts of prominent scientists regarding the interpretation of the "competition" category, examines the evolution of the theory of competition, and identifies the features of modern competition. In general, competition is considered in the article as: rivalry between subjects on the market; the mechanism of regulation of supply and demand in the market, competition between the traditional and the innovative. There are three main levels of competition between market entities. Much attention is also focused on the examination of this category, based on three approaches to its interpretation (behavioral, structural and functional). The behavioral approach to the concept of "competition" involves the struggle of enterprises among themselves, which is conducted for the most favorable conditions for the sale of goods. According to the structural approach, the concept of competition has strengthened its position due to its consideration as a competition rather than a rivalry. The functional approach outlines the place and meaning of competition in the economy. On the basis of this study, it was concluded that the implementation of innovations is the main mechanism for achieving sustainable competitive advantages, and more and more modern companies are reorienting their strategies based on cooperation in business instead of competition.

Real Competition and Profit Rate Equalisation: Theory and Evidence from the Norwegian Economy

The existence of long-run profitability differentials in market economies is a fundamental question that all traditions of economic thought since the times of the classical economists have dealt with in some form or another. In consideration of the modern synthesis of the classical views on competition into what has come to be known as the Theory of Real Competition, this article presents both a consistent theoretical basis from which to argue in favour of the tendential elimination of profitability premia across industries, as well as empirical evidence pointing to such conclusion from the Norwegian economy. The data, which covers 26 industries across nearly five decades (1971–2017), is used to estimate average and incremental total long-run profit rate differentials following two distinct methodologies. The first method has been commonly used in the prior literature, and the second has been newly systematised by this study’s author. Both methods are critically scrutinised, and their results compared to allow for a more robust conclusion. The findings suggest that average profit rates exhibit a weak tendency towards equalisation in Norway, and that such tendency is much stronger for incremental profit rates.

ОЦІНКА КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ АГРАРНИХ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ ВІННИЦЬКОГО РЕГІОНУ В УМОВАХ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ

The article assesses the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises of the Vinnitsa region in conditions of sustainable development. It was determined that the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises expresses the ability and efficiency of adaptation to the conditions of the competitive environment. Various approaches to the interpretation of the essence of the competitiveness of an agricultural enterprise are given. Summarizing the views of scientists, it is worth noting that the competitiveness of an agricultural enterprise is a quantitative and measurable characteristic that reflects a relative indicator of the enterprise's ability to withstand competitive pressure on the agricultural market during a certain time period. An assessment of the competitiveness of the following agro-industrial enterprises of the Vinnitsa region, operating in various branches of agriculture and selling grown (manufactured or processed) products through various sales channels, was carried out. The assessment of the competitiveness of agricultural enterprises was carried out on the basis of the method of comparative advantages, the theory of effective competition and benchmarking. The research established that during 2020-2022, the most competitive agricultural enterprise is "Organic-D" LLC, which took first place among the selected enterprises. It has been established that the optimal direction for increasing the competitiveness of production in agriculture is its intensive modernization, including technical and technological improvement through the introduction of a system of machines for complex mechanization of all technological processes. In order to increase the competitiveness of agricultural production, a system of state support for the agricultural sector should be implemented, including preferential taxation, price regulation to achieve parity development, preferential lending, production subsidies, innovation support, optimal price formation, etc. It was determined that the introduction of a system of state support can contribute to the sustainable development of the agricultural sector and ensure its competitiveness in the markets.

Analysis of Internal Conflicts in Afghanistan from the Perspective of Ethnic Elites in the Last Two Decades

Afghanistan has witnessed unprecedented internal wars, terrorist attacks, and insecurity over the past two decades, which have plunged the country into the depths of political turmoil. These conflicts have inflicted significant damage on the country's political structure and people's livelihoods, affecting society, political, social, economic, and cultural relations, and have also caused negative impacts on regional security and economy, especially for neighboring countries. This applied research, from the perspective of the intellectual elites of society, aims to investigate the fundamental causes, effects, and complexities of internal and external factors contributing to Afghanistan's internal conflicts during the last two decades. The research method employed is descriptive-explanatory, utilizing a deductive strategy and inspired by the theory of ethnic elite competition. It seeks to explore the influence of variables such as ethnic nationalism, deprivation, the state, and competition among regional and transregional powers in internal conflicts. The data collection tool used is a questionnaire, and the statistical population consists of intellectual elites from Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek ethnic groups. The sample size for this study is 400 intellectual elites selected through random sampling. The research initially lacked hypotheses, as the results were obtained after entering data through SPSS software and then applying linear regression calculations. The findings indicate a significant correlation between ethnic nationalism (r = 73%), the state (r = 152%), relative deprivation (r = 52%), and the competition of regional and transregional powers (r = 126%) with social conflicts. Moreover, the most crucial factor in the continuation of internal conflicts in Afghanistan is the monopolization of government by the dominant ethnic group. Ethnic elites, given their societal influence, can act both as agents of conflict escalation and as facilitators of peace.

The Advantages of Digital Literacy Strategies to Improve MSME’s Business Performance

This study stems from the gap in research and expert opinions that explain the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance. This research was conducted in Maluku Province with research areas in West Seram Regency, Ambon City and Central Maluku Regency. To answer the research gap, we developed the concept of digital literacy strategic advantage rooted in Reource advantage Theory of Competition (Hunt&Morgan,1995). We used a sample size of 125 MSMEs spread across three city districts in Maluku province using a non-probability sampling technique with a non-proposive sampling approach. To test the hypothesis, we used structural model analysis with the help of the AMOS SEM version 26 program. The results explained that the three hypotheses we proposed had a positive and significant effect on the business performance of MSMEs in Maluku province. Our theoretical implications and managerial implications are explained to be taken into consideration for theory development and MSME development.

A New Perspective of Trees Competition Network Research

Forest competition is a key factor driving forest dynamics and stand structure, and is one of the core issues in ecological research. Competition is a complex ecological process with temporal changes, which is interrelated and affected with forest growth, stand structure dynamics and environmental changes. Although there have been many researches on competition, tree growth, stand structure and climate, the interactions among trees have been studied by static competition index measurement, which usually lacks temporal variation related to natural forest development and environmental conditions, and the response mechanism and related theory of competition to stand development and environmental fluctuation have been studied insufficiently.(2) Single tree competition index model;(3) Interaction between tree competition and tree growth, stand structure and environment;(4) Tree competition based on complex network. Finally, according to the complex interaction of tree competition, the research strategy of tree competition network structure with “single tree” as node and “single tree competition relationship” as edge is discussed, in order to provide reference for the study of tree interaction and forest ecosystem dynamics.

Respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow measurements using near-infrared spectroscopy and indocyanine green dye in health and disease.

Measuring respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow during exercise is pivotal for understanding the factors limiting exercise tolerance in health and disease. Traditional methods to measure muscle blood flow present limitations for exercise testing. This article reviews a method utilising near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in combination with the light-absorbing tracer indocyanine green dye (ICG) to simultaneously assess respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow during exercise in health and disease. NIRS provides high spatiotemporal resolution and can detect chromophore concentrations. Intravenously administered ICG binds to albumin and undergoes rapid metabolism, making it suitable for repeated measurements. NIRS-ICG allows calculation of local muscle blood flow based on the rate of ICG accumulation in the muscle over time. Studies presented in this review provide evidence of the technical and clinical validity of the NIRS-ICG method in quantifying respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow. Over the past decade, use of this method during exercise has provided insights into respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow competition theory and the effect of ergogenic aids and pharmacological agents on local muscle blood flow distribution in COPD. Originally, arterial blood sampling was required via a photodensitometer, though the method has subsequently been adapted to provide a local muscle blood flow index using venous cannulation. In summary, the significance of the NIRS-ICG method is that it provides a minimally invasive tool to simultaneously assess respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow at rest and during exercise in health and disease to better appreciate the impact of ergogenic aids or pharmacological treatments.

항만 선택 및 경쟁 모형

Port competition is a complex phenomenon that is inextricably linked to the port selection decisions of hinterland and maritime port users. To effectively analyze port competition and formulate strategies, it is essential to adopt a holistic perspective that considers the entire port system through a supply chain lens. Existing research on port competition has largely focused on constructing separate port choice models for hinterland and seaward considerations, or developing unified port choice models that do not distinguish between user groups. However, these approaches fail to account for the interdependent relationship between the port choice behaviors and port competitiveness of hinterland and seaward port users within a single port. In this study, we address this gap in the literature by proposing an integrated model that leverages port choice models of hinterland and maritime port users, along with their respective port preferences, within a multicriteria decision analysis-non-cooperative game theory framework. This integrated model enables a comprehensive examination of port selection and inter-port competition from a unified perspective. In addition, we construct a two-player, three-strategy non-cooperative game theory model in which hinterland and maritime perspectives are considered distinct game participants. Applying the proposed integrated multi-criteria decision-making port competition theory model to container ports, we find that Busan Port exhibits the highest overall competitiveness, followed closely by Yeosu Gwangyang Port and Incheon Port. The Nash equilibrium solution for all participants in both simultaneous and sequential games is confirmed to be the choice of Busan Port for both hinterland and maritime considerations. These findings suggest that Incheon Port and Yeosu Gwangyang Port, which benchmark the Nash equilibrium solution, should prioritize the enhancement of port selection factors according to their relative importance, particularly those where they fall short compared to Busan Port. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of port selection and a game theory-based port competition framework from the perspective of port users in the context of container ports. The findings of this study can support the strategy formulation of port authorities and port operators. However, future research could build more realistic models that categorize inland shippers by region and ocean carriers by route to obtain more practical outcomes

FUNCTIONAL MODEL OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL OF AIRLINE COMPANIES ON THE BASIS OF MARKETING CONCEPT

The article is devoted to the improvement of management of the development of the innovation potential of airlines, which ensures their competitiveness in the global market. The solution to the problems caused by the need to update systems and processes in response to rapid changes in market conditions and the emergence of new technologies is seen as possible through marketing concepts and their tools, which are an integral part of the model of managing the development of innovation potential. The aim of the study is to improve the scientific approach to the formation of a model for the development of the innovation potential of an airline company based on marketing concepts. Methodology. The suggested scientific approach to the formation of a model for the development of the innovation potential of an airline company is based on a study of marketing concepts, which are enclosed in the framework of A. Osterwalder and I. Pinier, based on the phased configuration of the innovation process and taking into account the coverage of functional blocks of innovation development, value proposition formation and implementation of innovations by modern marketing tools of airline companies, integrating the possibilities of developing innovation potential with the needs of the air transportation sector market. As a result of the research, it is proved that the conceptual basis of the functional model for the development of the innovation potential of an airline enterprise is within the holistic concept of marketing, and digital marketing has a conceptual impact on almost all stages of the functional model and is manifested in certain digital marketing tools, contributing to reducing complexity and increasing predictability in the processes of managing the consumption of innovations, prices for innovative products and services, monitoring consumer behavior, partnerships, etc. In addition, the scientific approach to the formation of a model for the development of the innovation potential of an airline company based on marketing concepts is based on the target benchmarks of the sustainable development strategy (macro-marketing concept), the development of value propositions (service dominance theory) and the imperatives of increasing competitiveness and financial success (competitive advantage theory). The practical significance of the results lies in the contribution to the understanding of the use of marketing mechanisms in the process of innovation and emphasizing the need to change the traditional paradigm of airlines' functioning, directing it towards innovative development and achieving competitiveness with a focus on customer needs. Value/originality. The improved scientific approach actually creates a comprehensive theoretical and organizational basis for marketing of innovations of airline companies and will contribute to the effective implementation of marketing support for the development of innovation potential.

The interplay of China and Gulf countries in third-party market dynamics: an asymmetric competition perspective on the Belt and Road Initiative

China’s recent shift in the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) focusses on engaging middle powers in the Global South for joint development of commercially viable projects in third countries. Among these are the oil-rich Gulf heavyweights seen as critical partners and supporters of the BRI. Yet, instances of competition or conflict of interests with Beijing are not uncommon. Applying the asymmetric competition theory, this study compares Sino-Emirati interactions in maritime infrastructure in the Horn of Africa with Sino-Saudi cooperation in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. We find that Gulf heavyweights can leverage their asymmetric advantages to affect the interaction patterns with greater powers. By distributing resources disproportionally, the medium Southern powers can strive to partially establish structural power, enabling them to get dis-embedded from the single cooperation framework dominated by a great power. In the case of seemingly harmonious third-party collaboration, a dynamic analytical perspective reveals that early embedding these actors might lay the groundwork for the creation of asymmetric advantages which can be leveraged later.

Climate policy volatility hinders renewable energy consumption: Evidence from yardstick competition theory

Researchers have a high affirmative agreement on climate change and the need for policies to stimulate renewable energy consumption. However, there is little consensus among policymakers who are supposed to implement the solutions researchers propose. This phenomenon has led to extensive research on the effects of climate policy uncertainty (CPU) on energy consumption. We develop a yardstick competition model to examine the effect of climate policy volatility (CPV) on primary energy consumption in the U.S. residential sector. Our approach employs a Dirichlet process mixture linear model (DPM-LM) to account for unobserved heterogeneity and excess kurtosis. The results revealed that all three CPV estimators (Garman-Klass, Parkinson, and Rogers-Satchell) adversely affected the demand for hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGL) and biomass energy. In contrast, they positively affected the consumption of natural gas. The control variables (price and GDP) were consistent with the a priori expectations. This paper concludes that CPV creates a disincentive to increasing renewable energy demand. It is, therefore, critical for policymakers to consider ways of stabilizing climate policy and arriving at specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and definite time-bound goals and policies. It is equally important for policymakers to use science-based ex-post measures to inform the climate policy debate.

How Do Female Leadership Competencies Affect to Performance from a Customer Perspective?

Objective: The study aims to explore the style of leadership of small business women by applying the theory of power competition to analyze competence influencing leadership in power SMEs competitiveness. Study will focus on the abilities for growth in a period longer than a profitability period short for SMEs. Ability growth is considered a fundamental factor for SMEs, so follow up a study about the influence of women in competence to SMEs performance growth. Research Design & Methods: A quantitative research (positivism). The research location is SMEs in Batu City with 98 respondents. Data analysis methods use validity, reliability, classic assumption, and hypothesis tests. Findings: The female leadership competencies with five dimensions (strategic visions, operation management, professional knowledge, hands-on experience, relationship building) have a positive and significant effect on performance from the perspective of consumers. Implications & Recommendations: The study is that it can provide an understanding of female leadership, that the spirit of competence within oneself needs to be developed so that the business that is built can progress and develop rapidly. Contribution & Value Added: The study expected to be able to provide information as a basis for consideration, support, and contribution of ideas to decision makers in an effort to be able to increase income and carry out business development.

Coexistence of people and wild species: A new approach to conservation derived from ecological competition theory

An approach to stemming the Anthropocene decline in nature is derived from ecological competition theory by seeking conditions for coexistence between people and wild species. It shows how coexistence is attained through a reciprocal process of ‘nature exchange’ in which people’s needs are met from ecosystem services and nature’s needs from conservation services. Nature exchange takes place within the ‘bioscape’, a landscape, seascape or cityscape, in which the human-nature relationship is balanced. The bioscape has several distinguishing features: (a) it introduces competition theory to the exploration of social-ecological systems; (b) it scales in size from local to global; (c) it integrates with other forms of land-use such as protected areas, urban and industrial areas, farmland and wilderness; (d) it contributes to greening of the local economy; (e) it brings people together in managing conflicts over nature; (f) it provides a platform for harmonising intrinsic and utilitarian values of nature; and (g) it constitutes a new tool for halting the global decline in wild species by reducing competition between people and nature.

Signals from CSR competition: The influence of relative CSR performance on analysts’ recommendations

Due to the institutionalization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its integration into firm strategy, firms are engaged in fierce competition, which has gained stakeholders' attention. As intermediary stakeholders, security analysts screen information on firms' CSR activities to make more accurate investment recommendations. Integrating signaling through CSR competition and screening theory, we develop a framework wherein firms' relative CSR performance and improvement across two years are viewed as complementary signals reflecting their ability and intent to engage in CSR and affect analysts' recommendations. Using a panel of Chinese listed firms from 2011 to 2019 (n = 15,735 firm-year observations), we find that analysts respond positively to firms' relative CSR performance. Further analyses show that firms' CSR performance improvement has a decreasingly positive effect on analysts’ recommendations, and this effect is more pronounced for firms with higher relative CSR performance. Our study contributes to the literature on CSR and screening theory by highlighting the value of comparative CSR signals and generates practical implications for participants in CSR competitions.

Measurement of market power of agricultural industrial organizations in China: evidence from the Stochastic Frontier Approach

ABSTRACTThe growing agricultural industry organizations are reshaping agricultural competition, but there is little research analysing the market power of these organizations. This paper aims to bridge this gap by utilizing the Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA) and data from the 2015 China Micro and Small Enterprise Survey (CMES) to estimate the market power of Chinese agricultural industry organizations. The research findings reveal that these organizations possess substantial market power, as evidenced by an average Lerner Index of 45%. When examining different regions, it is observed that the average Lerner Index in Shanxi and Shanghai surpasses 60%, while in other regions, the average Lerner Index is below 50%. Furthermore, when considering various types of organizations, the average Lerner Index for farmer cooperatives and agricultural enterprises is 45% and 46% respectively. This study provides empirical evidence from developing countries that supports the theory of agricultural imperfect competition and contributes to a deeper understanding of the development of these agricultural industry organizations.

Market attractiveness analysis of battery energy storage systems in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have emerged as a solution for mitigating the intermittent nature of solar and wind power with the rise of renewable energy. The application of BESS is essential in integrating large-scale renewable energy. Despite the crucial role that BESS play in facilitating the energy transition, Southeast Asia's BESS market remains in its early stages, marked by a lack of significant BESS policies. Implementing policies to foster a competitive market environment for BESS can attract investors and lead to widespread adoption of the BESS. By assessing BESS market attractiveness in five key Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam), this study investigates the potential opportunities and challenges of the BESS market. The BESS market attractiveness index was developed by identifying key indicators drawn from theories of market potential and industry competitiveness. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of targeted policies, the development of renewable energy, and collaborative efforts among public, private, and international stakeholders in advancing the BESS market. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the BESS market in Southeast Asia, offering critical insights for policymakers, investors, and researchers to understand the current status and growth prospects of Southeast Asia's BESS market.

The influence of corporate social responsibility on repurchase intention: The mediating effect of satisfaction

The study evaluates the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention in the fast food service business in Vietnam. This study used quantitative research methods with a sample of 414 customers aged 18 and older who have used fast food service in Vietnam. Primary data were collected based on customers’ willingness to provide information through questionnaire links on social networking platforms such as Facebook and Zalo. Structural equation modeling and mediating effect analysis were used to test the correlation between components in the research model. Research results have identified three components of CSR, including community responsibility, environmental responsibility, and ethical responsibility in business, that directly and positively influence customer satisfaction. The results validate the mediating influence of satisfaction on the correlation between CSR components (community, environmental, and ethical responsibility) and repurchase intention, which very few previous studies have performed. These findings theoretically contribute to the literature, verifying three CSR components from the customer’s point of view in the fast food service business, including community, environmental, and ethical responsibility. Expanding the theory on factors affecting customer satisfaction and promoting cause-related marketing, prosocial behavior, and competitive advantage theory is necessary. As for managerial contributions, fast food business brands are suggested to invest and increase their CSR activities.