Political competitive advantage in the usa: an rbv approach

This article investigates the competitiveness of the South African wheat industry and compares it to its major trade partners. Since 1997, the wheat-to-bread value chain has been characterised by concentration of ownership and regulation. This led to concerns that the local wheat market is losing international competitiveness. The competitive status of the wheat industry, and its sub-sectors, is determined through the estimation of the relative trade advantage (RTA). The results revealed declining competitiveness of local wheat producers. Compared to the major global wheat producers, such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany and the USA, South Africa’s unprocessed wheat industry is uncompetitive. At the same time, South Africa has a competitive advantage in semi-processed wheat, especially wheat flour. The institutional environment enables the importation of raw wheat at lower prices and exports processed wheat flour competitively to the rest of Africa.

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University brand image as competitive advantage: a two-country study

International Journal of Educational Management ◽

10.1108/ijem-12-2017-0374 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 234-251

Author(s):

Swati Panda ◽

Satyendra C. Pandey ◽

Andrea Bennett ◽

Xiaoguang Tian

Keyword(s):

Service Quality ◽

Competitive Advantage ◽

Student Satisfaction ◽

Brand Image ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Three Dimensions ◽

Content Type ◽

University Reputation ◽

The Usa ◽

University Brand

Purpose Given the competitive landscape in the higher education setting, it is important that universities adopt strategies that create competitive advantage for them. Universities must leverage their resources efficiently to address this goal. Creating a positive brand image is one such strategy. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize university brand image as its heritage, service quality and trustworthiness and investigate their relationship with student’s satisfaction. It also investigates the role of university reputation as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a mixed method approach. The first stage involved qualitative interviews and focused group discussions with students to understand the factors responsible for student satisfaction with their respective universities. The second stage involved administering a survey questionnaire in two geographies – the USA and India to investigate the hypothesized relationship. The authors use regression analyses to test these relationships. Findings Findings indicate that a distinct brand image plays an important role in students’ level of satisfaction across both the USA and India. Service quality has a greater impact on student satisfaction levels across both contexts (as compared to university heritage and trustworthiness). The authors also find a positive mediating effect of university reputation in the relationship between university brand image and student satisfaction levels. Originality/value The current research contributes to the services marketing literature in the university context. It offers a framework for decision making in universities. It suggests that universities must work toward developing their brand image by focusing on its three dimensions – heritage, trustworthiness and service quality.

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Time-based competence and performance: an empirical analysis

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development ◽

10.1108/jsbed-02-2012-0017 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 288-301 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Yahya N. Al Serhan ◽

Craig C. Julian ◽

Zafar Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Competitive Advantage ◽

Low Cost ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Mail Survey ◽

Primary Data ◽

Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽

Manufacturing Strategy ◽

Content Type ◽

The Usa ◽

And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between time-based manufacturing competence (TBMC), time-based competitiveness, time-based manufacturing capability, and the performance of SMEs engaged in the steel minimill industry in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – This study was based on an empirical investigation of manufacturing firms in the steel minimill industry in the USA. The sample of firms was provided by the US Association of Iron and Steel Engineers. In order to obtain valid and reliable measures of the variables, previously validated scales were used to measure all variables. The primary data for the study were collected from a self-administered mail survey of 137 SMEs with the sample consisting of 71 SMEs indicating a response rate of 52 percent. Findings – Statistically significant positive relationships were found between all independent variables and performance. The results also indicate that the high performers have a higher TBMC than the low performers. The findings further confirm the assertion in the manufacturing strategy literature which states that time, as a strategic factor, is a source of competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications – From a methodological perspective, a potential concern may be that the measures are all self-reported. Consequently, the relationships tested may be susceptible to the influence of common method variance. Practical implications – TBMC enables SMEs to offer high-quality products at low cost and in a timely manner. This reflects the value of the positive relationship between TBMC and business performance. Originality/value – This study’s finding identifies the need for time-based competition. The literature suggests that the strategic focus on time enables firms to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. Nevertheless, this suggestion has been based on conceptual rather than empirical research. The results of this study provide empirical support for that suggestion with respect to SMEs.

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The Competitive Advantage of Nations 20 years later: the cases of Sweden, South Korea and the USA

Competitiveness Review An International Business Journal incorporating Journal of Global Competitiveness ◽

10.1108/cr-11-2012-0027 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 306-331 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Timothy L. Wilson ◽

Lars Lindbergh ◽

Jens Graff

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Competitive Advantage ◽

Case Studies ◽

The European Union ◽

Content Type ◽

Study Approach ◽

The Usa ◽

Secondary Information ◽

Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on some policy possibilities and outcomes for three countries of interest suggested in Porter’s The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Design/methodology/approach – This research was both exploratory and qualitative in nature and utilized an in-depth case study approach of three major international economies reflecting previous observations in The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Personal contemporaneous observations of individuals in the countries of interest were complemented by current secondary information. The three countries selected for analysis, South Korea, Sweden and the USA, reflected different stages of development at the time The Competitive Advantage of Nations was published and certainly different progress since then. Findings – The Competitive Advantage of Nations advocated new, constructive and actionable roles for government and business. These observations can now be tested after a reasonable time of development. In terms of development, Korea would appear to be the star of the group; Sweden has made strong progress in comparison with other members of the European Union. Although there are areas of strength, the USA recently has lost much of the edge it had at the time of the Advantage’s publication. Research limitations/implications – Because this research was built on case studies, one has the reservations common with that approach. On the other hand, case studies are acknowledged as useful in the identification of important variables in situations in which there is little control over events in a real-world context. Practical implications – Countries must go their own way and find their own paths to success. In some ways, directions are suggested by Schumpeter (1942/1975) and in others, by Porter (1990/1996). Chance appears to have played a role in development in each instance, but government, seen as a fifth determinant possibility by Porter, heavily affected outcomes in each instance. Originality/value – Although relying heavily on Porter, results add insight into the development of economies over time.

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Perceived efficacy of sustainability strategies in the US, Italian, and Spanish wine industries

International Journal of Wine Business Research ◽

10.1108/ijwbr-10-2014-0047 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 164-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Armand Gilinsky, Jr ◽

Sandra K. Newton ◽

Thomas S. Atkin ◽

Cristina Santini ◽

Alessio Cavicchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Competitive Advantage ◽

Business Case ◽

Environmental Management System ◽

Self Report ◽

Wine Industry ◽

Economic Downturn ◽

Perceived Benefits ◽

Sustainable Practices ◽

Content Type ◽

The Usa

Purpose – This purpose of this investigation is to compare the perceptions of competitive advantage through cost leadership and differentiation with sustainable practices of wineries from the USA, Italy and Spain. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected via self-report web-based surveys in California, Tuscany and Catalonia in 2010-2011 during a severe economic downturn in the wine industry. Findings – Of the 260 respondents among the three country samples, over 75 per cent are family-owned and family-managed. Respondents indicate who has implemented a clear business case for an Environmental Management System (EMS) and who has not. Benefits and challenges of implementing sustainability practices are also addressed. Practical implications – A comparable percentage of respondents across the three countries indicated a “clear business case for EMS”. Wineries in all three countries perceive that they have competitive advantage through implementation of EMS and commitment to sustainable practices. Top perceived benefits for respondents from the USA and Italy are focused on cost reduction strategies, while top perceived benefits for Spanish respondents are focused on differentiation strategies. Originality/value – Activities that create competitive advantages for wine businesses in different countries are understudied; this research bridges that gap.

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Battle for the boot: trademarks and competitiveness in the global UGG boot industry, 1979-2019

Journal of Management History ◽

10.1108/jmh-07-2020-0044 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Amanda Budde-Sung

Keyword(s):

Competitive Advantage ◽

Annual Reports ◽

Competitive Advantages ◽

Global Business ◽

Content Type ◽

First Mover Advantage ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

The Usa ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

Purpose Despite its Australian birthplace, the ugg boot industry is now fully dominated by one American company, and the Australian ugg boot industry has been frozen out of global trade. This study aims to consider the impact on the competitive advantage of culturally distinctive but not new, intellectual property (IP) through the historic lens of the Australia–USA battle over the UGG boot trademark. Design/methodology/approach This study uses trademark applications, court documents, annual reports and brand reports to trace the history of the change and growth of the ugg boot industry from a small cottage industry in Australia to a billion-dollar monopoly controlled by an American company. Findings Court documents and trademark applications from 1979 to 2019 indicate that Australian firms underestimated the cultural differences between the USA and Australia and thus failed to adequately protect the generic word “ugg” in foreign markets where it was considered to be distinctive, rather than generic. Practical implications The paper highlights the importance of the first-mover advantage that can be conferred upon a firm by IP that is not new. Trademarks must be distinctive, rather than new, but properly used, they can offer substantial global competitive advantages to firms. Originality/value The in-depth analysis of the development of the UGG brand highlights the importance of intangible barriers in global business. The impact on the competitive advantage these intangible barriers gave US firms over Australian firms in the worldwide sheepskin boot market is discussed.

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