scholarly journals OBTENÇÃO DE VANTAGENS COMPETITIVAS EM TECNOLOGIA DA INFORMAÇÃO: ESTUDO DE MÚLTIPLOS CASOS EM EMPRESAS INTERNACIONALIZADAS DOI:10.7444/fsrj.v1i2.12

Author(s):  
Eduardo Armando ◽  
Adalberto Américo Fischmann

This research studies how the studied firms gain sustainable competitive advantages (SCAs). The issue has been studied in the literature on business strategy: the challenge for managers is to identify, develop, protect and use resources and skills that provide the firm with SCAs. Eight cases were studied. All concerned Information Technology firms that sell to other companies. The variables used were qualitative. Data was collected from primary and secondary sources of information. The primary sources consisted of the studied firms, where interviews with management were held. The main results are: (1) One firm develops products abroad and this aspect is a competitive advantage. (2) There are cases that resort to a model that provides them with great operating flexibility. (3) One firm obtained SCAs by developing a strategy whereby it implemented a franchise model for development and distribution. The franchise system encourages entrepreneurial behavior among the franchisees. (4) One case gained a competitive advantage through the complexity and sophistication of its products. (5) Some of the cases searched for market niches that were less exposed to competition.Key-words: Strategic management. Strategic planning. Advanced Technology firms. Management of multinationals. 

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Koszewska

An overview of the Western European literature shows that one of the most distinct trends in consumption that has been noted in the recent years is globally increasing environmental and social awareness. The issue of consumers' behaviours and attitudes towards "socially responsible products" has been gaining importance in Polish economy as well. This article evaluates the development prospects of ethical and ecological consumption in Poland vis-a-vis Western European countries. The comparative analysis being part of the article utilizes primary sources of information, i.e. interviews with a representative sample of Polish adults, as well as secondary sources of information. A factor analysis or, more precisely, a principal component analysis, allowed dividing Polish consumers into groups that were typologically homogeneous in respect of their sensitivity to various aspects of business ethics and ecology.


Author(s):  
KAMARUL AFENDEY BIN HAMIMI ◽  
AHMAD ZULLAILI BIN ZAMRI

Kertas kerja ini menganalisis peranan Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir iaitu lama reformis tempatan yang konsisten menentang British sehingga terpenjara pada 1948. Beliau turut menubuhkan Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff untuk memodenkan sistem pendidikan pondok di samping meniupkan semangat kemerdekaan kepada pelajar dan masyarakat di sekelilingnya. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengetengahkan sumbangan Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir sebagai seorang ulama dan pejuang kemerdekaan menentang British sekitar 1934 sehingga 1957 di Perak. Kajian ini berbentuk historiografi yang menggunakan kaedah kualitatif dengan pendekatan analisis kandungan. Dua jenis sumber digunakan dalam kajian ini iaitu sumber primer dan sekunder. Sumber primer adalah seperti mendapatkan dokumen dan fail di Arkib Negara Malaysia, sumber pejabat kolonial British di samping menemu bual ahli keluarga dan murid Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir. Sumber sekunder pula diperoleh melalui buku, surat khabar dan kertas kerja seminar yang berkaitan dengan perjuangan beliau. Hasil kajian mendapati para pelajarnya terdedah dengan semangat kemerdekaan ini ekoran guru-guru reformis dari Indonesia yang terdedah dengan perjuangan menentang Belanda mengajar di Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff. Selain itu, hubungan baik Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir dengan Ibrahim Yaakub selaku penggerak Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) dan Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmy yang memimpin Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Muda (PKMM) menjadikan Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff sebagai markas politik menentang British sehingga tertubuhnya Parti Hizbul Muslimin di bawah pimpinan Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir. Kata kunci: Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff, Hizbul Muslimin, British, Kaum Muda, Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM). This paper attempts to analyze the role played by Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir, a local reformist religious leader who consistently opposed the British until he was imprisoned by them in 1948. He established the Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff with the aim of modernizing the religious education system besides stoking the spirit of freedom among his students and the society around him. The objective of this study is to highlight the contributions of Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir as a religious leader as well as a freedom fighter who opposed British rule in Perak from around 1934 until 1957. This is a historiographical research which uses qualitative methodology with a content analysis approach. Two different sources of information are used for this study namely primary and secondary sources. Primary sources include documents and files from the Malaysian National Archives and official documents from the British Colonial office, besides interviewing family members as well as former students of Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir. On the other hand, secondary sources include books, newspapers and seminar report relating to his struggle. The findings of the study show that his students were exposed to the struggle for Independence through the direct influence of the reformist teachers from Indonesia who were teaching at the Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff. These teachers had already been involved in the fight against the Dutch colonialists in Indonesia. In addition to this, the close relationship of Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir with Ibrahim Yaakub, the primemover of Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) and Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmy, the leader of Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Muda (PKMM), projected Maahadal-Ehya Assyariff as the political front that opposed British rule until the founding of the Parti Hizbul Muslimin under the leadership of Ustaz Abu Bakar al-Baqir. Keywords: Maahad al-Ehya Assyariff, Hizbul Muslimin, British, Kaum Muda, Malay Nationalist Party (MNP), Young Malays Union.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 353-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Shafiqul Huque

Purpose Good governance has been declared as the key target of most Asian governments, but it appears to be an unattainable objective. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potentials for establishing governance across Asian countries. Drawing upon the literature and experience of Asian countries, the study argues that governance represents an unclear state that is rooted more in perception than reality. An extensive review of the indicators of governance reveals the anomaly and unorganized efforts to measure it, and points to the need for recognizing accomplishments in areas that are not directly or indirectly covered in the existing schemes of assessment. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a broad review of the literature on governance and political systems in Asian countries. Existing arrangements for assessing governance are critically reviewed to point out the risks in a perception-dependent approach. Secondary sources and insight obtained from relevant research constitute the data analyzed in the paper. Findings The paper finds that the target of good governance cannot be fully achieved due to the significant diversity across Asian countries as well as varied perceptions held by assessors. Stakeholders have different perceptions about the requirements and ideal of governance and existing tools for measuring governance are inadequate. Most importantly, assessment frameworks do not recognize contextual dimensions that are relevant to Asian countries. Furthermore, it is important to recognize efforts that are aimed at improving conditions instead of working toward an absolute outcome of governance. Recognition of small successes will contribute to the improvement of circumstances rather than ranking countries on the basis of a limited number of perception-based indicators and listing them on international indices. Research limitations/implications The paper does not draw upon primary sources of information and is limited to an assessment of existing arrangements. Practical implications The paper will help draw attention to the limitations of existing arrangements of assessing countries and ranking them for the quality of governance. It will also encourage researchers to think about alternative tools for assessing governance and recognizing progress in Asian countries. Social implications The paper will encourage governments to identify obstacles to good governance and adopt policies to overcome them. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature presenting a critical view for encouraging alternative approach to governance, incorporating perceptions of diverse stakeholders and highlights the need to recognize progress, however limited, in all areas.


Author(s):  
Örjan Sölvell

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyze how The Competitive Advantage of Nations project led by Professor Michael E. Porter has opened up new perspectives on competitiveness of nations and firms for scholars, practitioners and policymakers. With the publication of The Competitive Advantage of Nations (CAON) book in 1990, Professor Michael E. Porter opened up a whole new perspective on competitiveness and clusters, including both new research avenues and new perspectives for practitioners and politicians. By questioning the traditional, more static and macroeconomic, views on competitiveness, he opened up for a new model of microeconomic drivers of long-run firm competitiveness. The new conceptual model, the Diamond model, pointed to the importance of healthy rivalry and dynamic clusters, in the proximate firm environment, as central to our understanding of how firms build sustainable competitive advantages in global markets. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review and conceptual. Findings – To distinguish between short-term, more static, and long-term, more dynamic competitiveness of firms, and the competitiveness of nations and regions, the paper proposes a conceptualization into three interrelated concepts: competitiveness and innovativeness of firms, and attractiveness of nations and regions. Originality/value – This paper summarizes 40 years of Professor Porter’s seminal research with a focus on the CAON project that began with the 1990 book on The Competitive Advantage of Nations. The paper proposes three interrelated concepts to cover issues of competitiveness: competitiveness (firm’s static advantages), innovativeness (firm’s dynamic advantages) and attractiveness (national/regional advantages).


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 1188
Author(s):  
Isis Cassia Vannucci de Oliveira Koelle ◽  
Cristiane De Paula Bueno ◽  
Daniel Estima de Carvalho ◽  
Leandro Fraga Guimaraes

It addresses the challenges that large multi-divisional B2B corporations face each day to take advantage of their corporate strategy and ensure sustainable competitive advantages. The synergies and interrelations that would give them such a position are not always simple to be achieved or even perceived by customers. The chosen approach was focused on B2B companies, because processes and communication tend to be more truncated, as they are usually more technical in the way of doing business. This can make the challenges of interrelation and synergy even greater.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 45-57
Author(s):  
Agata Budzyńska

Omnipresent globalization engulfs more and more areas of life, which is why one of the most important processes in today's economy is shaping the socalled global village. Both globalization and the consequent internationalization constitute some of the biggest challenges for Polish companies. In addition, the intensity of competitive businesses in the global market forces companies to seek competitive advantages and improve their abilities in the process. The article contains the results of empirical research conducted in the years 2010-2011 in Greater Poland as part of the project titled "Determinants of competitive advantage of Greater Poland's food processing companies in the international market." This paper also contains data from both theoretical and empirical evidence on building competitive advantage in international markets provided by the analyzed group of internationalized SMEs. The aim of this study is to identify the factors determining the formation of competitive advantage of food processing companies from Greater Poland, which in turn contributed to the internationalization of those businesses. Secondary sources were used in pursuing the goal - theoretical implications were based on studies of literature, and they were verified by surveys. In addition, the following methods were used: description, visualization and statistical techniques. The time range of the undertaken work covers the years 2008-2011.


2009 ◽  
Vol 1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiva S Hullavarad ◽  
NILIMA V HULLAVARAD ◽  
PING LAN

AbstractThe paper addresses the �green innovation� in the non-fossil fuel energy industry. The objective of the study is to identify the changes in trends of non-fossil fuel energy industry demand, growth and opportunities. The study uses the databases such as patents, news events, income/financial statements to assess the company status and the track record of the industry. The research adopts the methodology of Innovation Radar (Sawhney, MIT Sloan Management Research, 2001) to assess the positioning of the dominant company and design in photovoltaic, geothermal and wind renewable energy industry. The study also summarizes the sustainable competitive advantages of some of the successful companies in the energy sector. This study correlates the gains in innovation tripartite (product, process, business) to the corporate competitive advantage. The companies selected in this study are based on the innovations brought to improve the product, process and business aspects and are evaluated in terms of market adaptability.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Asselineau ◽  
Gilles Grolleau

Purpose Labeling something as “impossible” can be performative and deprive businesses from promising ideas, by activating limiting mental models and self-fulfilling prophecies. Adopting an “everything may be(come) possible” thinking as the default option can lead businesses to discover unexpected and valuable directions and make the world a better place. This paper aims to propose practical insights to harness the power of “impossible” thinking such as considering impossibility as a current and temporary state, adopting an unconventional mindset and redirecting the reflection on what is needed to make the idea possible. Falling in love with any impossible target is obviously not without downsides. Design/methodology/approach This paper discusses conceptually how adopting an impossible thinking approach can help business to discover unexpected and valuable directions. Findings The authors caution managers on the inappropriate use of the “impossible” label that can be performative, activate a limiting mental model, lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy and deprive businesses from promising ideas. This paper proposes ways by which the power of impossible thinking can be harnessed to make a difference. Research limitations/implications Discarding impossible ideas seems perfectly justified from a logical or cultural viewpoint while constituting simultaneously a bad decision from a business viewpoint. The generalization of authors’ insight must be undertaken with caution, given that harnessing the power of impossible does not mean to fall in love with any impossible idea. Practical implications Learning to not neglect seemingly impossible options and sometimes to reveal them can lead to sustainable competitive advantages. Social implications While generating a competitive advantage for the concerned companies, implementing impossible ideas can also contribute to make the world a better place. Originality/value The authors identify some mechanisms that can make impossible thinking beneficial and profitable for companies. These insights can help managers to nurture an environment that facilitates the emergence of pathbreaking advances.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Morris

Synopsis In January, 2015, Chipotle stopped serving pork at a third of its 1,800 restaurants due to its discovery that a pork supplier was not meeting Chipotle's “Food with Integrity” standards. This case examines the trade-offs Chipotle faced in maintaining its focus on sustainable ingredients as the chain grew rapidly. Demand for healthier ingredients by others in the industry and scalability problems in sustainable agricultural production suggested that supply shortages and higher prices were likely threats to Chipotle's continued rapid growth. Could Chipotle maintain its commitment to “Food with Integrity” when the supply of sustainable foods failed to meet demand or should the company just buy available ingredients regardless of farming methods? Research methodology This case was developed from both secondary and primary sources. The secondary sources included industry reports, company annual reports, news reports, social media sites and company websites. Primary sources included video interviews with Chipotle executives (available on the company's website) and visits to Chipotle restaurants in several cities. This case has been classroom tested with MBA students in a capstone course and with undergraduates in a strategic management course. Relevant courses and levels This case was written for use in Strategic Management classes at the undergraduate and MBA levels. The focus of the case aligns well with discussions of competitive advantage, firm performance and business level strategy. The case also has application in discussions regarding implementation of strategy. Instructors that choose to emphasize sustainability strategies could assign this case to explore trade-offs between profitability, sustainability and growth. Additionally, the case could be used in supply chain management courses. Theoretical bases This case utilizes a stakeholder analysis approach to examine the trade-offs between sustainability initiatives, growth and performance. The resource-based model of VRIO is used to analyze the firm's competitive advantage.


Author(s):  
Petra Schubert ◽  
Susan P. Williams ◽  
Ralf Woelfle

Developing and sustaining a competitive advantage from the use of information technology is a topic of concern for information systems research. Mata et al. (1995) present a model that is founded on the resource-based view of the firm. The model is used to discuss factors that lead to competitive advantage in e-commerce companies. This paper explores factors that enable sustainable competitive advantages in B2C retailing. The analysis is based on a single in-depth case study of an Internet pioneer company (LeShop), which was observed by the authors since its inception more than 10 years ago. The research data stems from a series of interviews with managers at LeShop as well as two case studies about the company from two different points in time (2000 and 2009). LeShop is an online pioneer, which began selling groceries on the Internet in Switzerland in April 1998. After a turbulent few years, LeShop is now one of the few successful e-commerce suppliers in the supermarket segment worldwide. The discussion includes an analysis of further critical resources of the company from a resource-based view.


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