scholarly journals MAIN CHANGES IN THE MARKET POSITION AND COMPETITIVENESS OF GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE TNCS IN THE CONDITIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Author(s):  
Vyacheslav Makedon ◽  
Olha Mykhailenko

The paper investigates changes in market positions and competitiveness of global automotive TNCs in the system of international business. Country, sectoral and corporate factors influencing the choice of investment and non-investment methods for the development of new markets by automobile TNCs were identified, and a study of the degree of their influence on the company's decision-making was carried out. The features of the development of key markets of countries in different geographic regions are highlighted. The analysis of quantitative and qualitative changes in the structure of production and sales of cars by European TNCs was carried out, which were the result of their active internationalization. Particular attention is paid to the "home" region of automobile TNCs, including the analysis of the specificity of environmental regulation of the location of automobile factories in the EU. It has been determined that the environmental aspect has become the most important element of the competitiveness of automobile companies. In the process, it was found that for the "home" region at the present stage, European automotive TNCs usually choose a strategy of mergers and acquisitions with exceptions in the form of joint ventures for the production of low-cost cars or greenfield-projects for luxury cars. In addition to acquisitions in order to strengthen their position in other markets, companies seek to specialize and get rid of non-core assets. The countries of Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East are considered by European automobile TNCs as the most promising for further development and production of their products there. Market development strategies and the choice of method of starting production there are largely determined by the peculiarities of their national legislation, the expected magnitude of demand and the stability of the political situation. At existing enterprises, if necessary, companies increase production capacity, invest in equipment upgrades, move from assembly to full cycle production, as well as increase the level of localization (including by investing in the construction of engine plants).

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naděžda Petrů ◽  
Andrea Tomášková ◽  
Monika Krošláková

Family business is the largest global source of jobs in the private sector, whose multigenerational nature strengthens the stability of individual economies. A competitive small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector into which family businesses are classified is an essential prerequisite for the full-fledged integration of any economy into the global economic space. For the Czech economy, the importance of foreign trade is increasing, and is dependent on the capabilities of companies to expand to foreign markets. The goal of this article is to identify involvement of the generation of successors to export activities of family business, focusing on diversifying export territories in relation to structure of the industry A secondary goal is to discuss the demand mechanisms for SMEs/family business oriented toward export. The scientific hypotheses defined are focused on demonstrating a dependency between the diversification of export territories, the involvement of the generation of successors in the management of the company and structure of industry. Authors have demonstrated that family businesses managed by the first generation of founders export primarily to the territories of Slovakia, Germany, and the EU. Companies where the next generation contributes to management diversify territorial risk and also export outside the EU countries. A significant correlation was demonstrated between automotive industry and Germany, Slovakia and country outside the EU and mechanical engineering and country outside the EU. The uniqueness of this article lies in the topicality of the real transition of Czech family businesses to the next generation, which carries out foreign trade to promote the further development and sustainability of the family business for future generations.


Author(s):  
Y. Feng ◽  
X. Y. Cai ◽  
R. J. Kelley ◽  
D. C. Larbalestier

The issue of strong flux pinning is crucial to the further development of high critical current density Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) superconductors in conductor-like applications, yet the pinning mechanisms are still much debated. Anomalous peaks in the M-H (magnetization vs. magnetic field) loops are commonly observed in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy (Bi-2212) single crystals. Oxygen vacancies may be effective flux pinning centers in BSCCO, as has been found in YBCO. However, it has also been proposed that basal-plane dislocation networks also act as effective pinning centers. Yang et al. proposed that the characteristic scale of the basal-plane dislocation networksmay strongly depend on oxygen content and the anomalous peak in the M-H loop at ˜20-30K may be due tothe flux pinning of decoupled two-dimensional pancake vortices by the dislocation networks. In light of this, we have performed an insitu observation on the dislocation networks precisely at the same region before and after annealing in air, vacuumand oxygen, in order to verify whether the dislocation networks change with varying oxygen content Inall cases, we have not found any noticeable changes in dislocation structure, regardless of the drastic changes in Tc and the anomalous magnetization. Therefore, it does not appear that the anomalous peak in the M-H loops is controlled by the basal-plane dislocation networks.


2020 ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kusztykiewicz-Fedurek

Political security is very often considered through the prism of individual states. In the scholar literature in-depth analyses of this kind of security are rarely encountered in the context of international entities that these countries integrate. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to key aspects of political security in the European Union (EU) Member States. The EU as a supranational organisation, gathering Member States first, ensures the stability of the EU as a whole, and secondly, it ensures that Member States respect common values and principles. Additionally, the EU institutions focus on ensuring the proper functioning of the Eurozone (also called officially “euro area” in EU regulations). Actions that may have a negative impact on the level of the EU’s political security include the boycott of establishing new institutions conducive to the peaceful coexistence and development of states. These threats seem to have a significant impact on the situation in the EU in the face of the proposed (and not accepted by Member States not belonging to the Eurogroup) Eurozone reforms concerning, inter alia, appointment of the Minister of Economy and Finance and the creation of a new institution - the European Monetary Fund.


Author(s):  
Valentyna Bohatyrets ◽  
Liubov Melnychuk ◽  
Yaroslav Zoriy

This paper seeks to investigate sustainable cross-border cooperation (CBC) as a distinctive model of interstate collaboration, embedded in the neighboring borderland regions of two or more countries. The focus of the research revolves around the establishment and further development of geostrategic, economic, cultural and scientific capacity of the Ukrainian-Romanian partnership as a fundamental construct in ensuring and strengthening the stability, security and cooperation in Europe. This research highlights Ukraine’s aspirations to establish, develop and diversify bilateral good-neighborly relations with Romania both regionally and internationally. The main objective is to elucidate Ukraine-Romania cross-border cooperation initiatives, inasmuch Ukraine-Romania CBC has been stirring up considerable interest in terms of its inexhaustible historical, cultural and spiritual ties. Furthermore, the similarity of the neighboring states’ strategic orientations grounds the basis for development and enhancement of Ukraine-Romania cooperation. The authors used desk research and quantitative research to conclude that Ukraine-Romania CBC has the impact not only on the EU and on Ukraine multi-vector foreign policy, but it also has the longer-term global consequences. In the light of the current reality, the idea of introducing and reinforcing the importance of Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) sounds quite topical and relevant. This research considers a number of explanations for Ukraine-Romania Cross-Border Cooperation as a key element of the EU policy towards its neighbors. Besides, the subject of the research is considered from different perspectives in order to show the diversity and complexity of the Ukraine-Romania relations in view of the fact that sharing common borders we are presumed to find common solutions. As the research has demonstrated, the Ukraine-Romania cross border cooperation is a pivotal factor of boosting geostrategic, economic, political and cultural development for each participant country, largely depending on the neighboring countries’ cohesion and convergence. Significantly, there is an even stronger emphasis on the fact that while sharing the same borders, the countries share common interests and aspirations for economic thriving, cultural exchange, diplomatic ties and security, guaranteed by a legal framework. The findings of this study have a number of important implications for further development and enhancement of Ukraine-Romania cooperation. Accordingly, the research shows how imperative are the benefits of Romania as a strategic partner for outlining top priorities of Ukraine’s foreign policy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziqi Wang ◽  
Liubing Dong ◽  
Weiyuan Huang ◽  
Hao Jia ◽  
Qinghe Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractOwing to the merits of low cost, high safety and environmental benignity, rechargeable aqueous Zn-based batteries (ZBs) have gained tremendous attention in recent years. Nevertheless, the poor reversibility of Zn anodes that originates from dendrite growth, surface passivation and corrosion, severely hinders the further development of ZBs. To tackle these issues, here we report a Janus separator based on a Zn-ion conductive metal–organic framework (MOF) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), which is able to regulate uniform Zn2+ flux and electron conduction simultaneously during battery operation. Facilitated by the MOF/rGO bifunctional interlayers, the Zn anodes demonstrate stable plating/stripping behavior (over 500 h at 1 mA cm−2), high Coulombic efficiency (99.2% at 2 mA cm−2 after 100 cycles) and reduced redox barrier. Moreover, it is also found that the Zn corrosion can be effectively retarded through diminishing the potential discrepancy on Zn surface. Such a separator engineering also saliently promotes the overall performance of Zn|MnO2 full cells, which deliver nearly 100% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 4 A g−1 and high power density over 10 kW kg−1. This work provides a feasible route to the high-performance Zn anodes for ZBs.


Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 848
Author(s):  
Karla Miriam Reyes Leiva ◽  
Milagros Jaén-Vargas ◽  
Miguel Ángel Cuba ◽  
Sergio Sánchez Lara ◽  
José Javier Serrano Olmedo

The rehabilitation of a visually impaired person (VIP) is a systematic process where the person is provided with tools that allow them to deal with the impairment to achieve personal autonomy and independence, such as training for the use of the long cane as a tool for orientation and mobility (O&M). This process must be trained personally by specialists, leading to a limitation of human, technological and structural resources in some regions, especially those with economical narrow circumstances. A system to obtain information about the motion of the long cane and the leg using low-cost inertial sensors was developed to provide an overview of quantitative parameters such as sweeping coverage and gait analysis, that are currently visually analyzed during rehabilitation. The system was tested with 10 blindfolded volunteers in laboratory conditions following constant contact, two points touch, and three points touch travel techniques. The results indicate that the quantification system is reliable for measuring grip rotation, safety zone, sweeping amplitude and hand position using orientation angles with an accuracy of around 97.62%. However, a new method or an improvement of hardware must be developed to improve gait parameters’ measurements, since the step length measurement presented a mean accuracy of 94.62%. The system requires further development to be used as an aid in the rehabilitation process of the VIP. Now, it is a simple and low-cost technological aid that has the potential to improve the current practice of O&M.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1282
Author(s):  
Ioannis Deretzis ◽  
Corrado Bongiorno ◽  
Giovanni Mannino ◽  
Emanuele Smecca ◽  
Salvatore Sanzaro ◽  
...  

The realization of stable inorganic perovskites is crucial to enable low-cost solution-processed photovoltaics. However, the main candidate material, CsPbI3, suffers from a spontaneous phase transition at room temperature towards a photo-inactive orthorhombic δ-phase (yellow phase). Here we used theoretical and experimental methods to study the structural and electronic features that determine the stability of the CsPbI3 perovskite. We argued that the two physical characteristics that favor the black perovskite phase at low temperatures are the strong spatial confinement in nanocrystalline structures and the level of electron doping in the material. Within this context, we discussed practical procedures for the realization of long-lasting inorganic lead halide perovskites.


Author(s):  
Bochao Chen ◽  
Ming Liang ◽  
Qingzhao Wu ◽  
Shan Zhu ◽  
Naiqin Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractThe development of sodium-ion (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) has increased rapidly because of the abundant resources and cost-effectiveness of Na and K. Antimony (Sb) plays an important role in SIBs and PIBs because of its high theoretical capacity, proper working voltage, and low cost. However, Sb-based anodes have the drawbacks of large volume changes and weak charge transfer during the charge and discharge processes, thus leading to poor cycling and rapid capacity decay. To address such drawbacks, many strategies and a variety of Sb-based materials have been developed in recent years. This review systematically introduces the recent research progress of a variety of Sb-based anodes for SIBs and PIBs from the perspective of composition selection, preparation technologies, structural characteristics, and energy storage behaviors. Moreover, corresponding examples are presented to illustrate the advantages or disadvantages of these anodes. Finally, we summarize the challenges of the development of Sb-based materials for Na/K-ion batteries and propose potential research directions for their further development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
Neda Javadi ◽  
Hamed Khodadadi Tirkolaei ◽  
Nasser Hamdan ◽  
Edward Kavazanjian

The stability (longevity of activity) of three crude urease extracts was evaluated in a laboratory study as part of an effort to reduce the cost of urease for applications that do not require high purity enzyme. A low-cost, stable source of urease will greatly facilitate engineering applications of urease such as biocementation of soil. Inexpensive crude extracts of urease have been shown to be effective at hydrolyzing urea for carbonate precipitation. However, some studies have suggested that the activity of a crude extract may decrease with time, limiting the potential for its mass production for commercial applications. The stability of crude urease extracts shown to be effective for biocementation was studied. The crude extracts were obtained from jack beans via a simple extraction process, stored at room temperature and at 4 ℃, and periodically tested to evaluate their stability. To facilitate storage and transportation of the extracted enzyme, the longevity of the enzyme following freeze drying (lyophilization) to reduce the crude extract to a powder and subsequent re-hydration into an aqueous solution was evaluated. In an attempt to improve the shelf life of the lyophilized extract, dextran and sucrose were added during lyophilization. The stability of purified commercial urease following rehydration was also investigated. Results of the laboratory tests showed that the lyophilized crude extract maintained its activity during storage more effectively than either the crude extract solution or the rehydrated commercial urease. While incorporating 2% dextran (w/v) prior to lyophilization of the crude extract increased the overall enzymatic activity, it did not enhance the stability of the urease during storage.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 4166
Author(s):  
Román Fernández ◽  
María Calero ◽  
Yolanda Jiménez ◽  
Antonio Arnau

Monolithic quartz crystal microbalance (MQCM) has recently emerged as a very promising technology suitable for biosensing applications. These devices consist of an array of miniaturized QCM sensors integrated within the same quartz substrate capable of detecting multiple target analytes simultaneously. Their relevant benefits include high throughput, low cost per sensor unit, low sample/reagent consumption and fast sensing response. Despite the great potential of MQCM, unwanted environmental factors (e.g., temperature, humidity, vibrations, or pressure) and perturbations intrinsic to the sensor setup (e.g., mechanical stress exerted by the measurement cell or electronic noise of the characterization system) can affect sensor stability, masking the signal of interest and degrading the limit of detection (LoD). Here, we present a method based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to improve the stability of the resonance frequency and dissipation signals in real time. The method takes advantage of the similarity among the noise patterns of the resonators integrated in an MQCM device to mitigate disturbing factors that impact on sensor response. Performance of the method is validated by studying the adsorption of proteins (neutravidin and biotinylated albumin) under external controlled factors (temperature and pressure/flow rate) that simulate unwanted disturbances.


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