Innovation and Patenting within Containerized Liner Shipping

Increasingly, in many industries, companies commercialize their technology and innovations through patenting to gain an edge over competition. Within the maritime sector, while literature on innovation is expanding, issues related to the importance of intangible assets, such as patenting, for the participant firms of the industry remain unaddressed. Utilizing innovational frameworks and patent data withdrawn from European Patent Organization’s (EPO’s) database, the aim of this paper is to investigate the innovative level, in terms of patents granted, of incumbent market actors in liner shipping. Apart from patent counts, this exercise sheds light on the areas to which these patents apply, providing a classification while also investigating additional attributes which relate to patent citations, investors and applicants. Although results indicate a varying degree of utilization of the patenting system amongst liner carriers, they nonetheless affirm to some extent that knowledge creation is a valuable tool in the arsenal of some liner carriers, and that patenting is one of the various means utilized to enhance their market position and achieve a sustained competitive advantage. In addition, findings suggest that liner carriers’ innovative efforts have, based on the forward citations received, some significance, while they focus primarily the development of patented technologies which enhance the operational efficiency of their vessels. In this respect, the investigation undertaken sheds some light and provides a novel perspective on understanding the behaviour and innovative propensity of liner shipping companies.

Rozszerzenie kręgu podmiotów uprawnionych do skorzystania ze szczególnej ochrony konsumenckiej

The article aims to analyze and evaluate the last amendment of the Civil Code by which articles 3855, 5564, 5765 enter into force. These regulations are expanding the group of entities entitled to consumer protection. New provisions, by the intention of the legislator, are to provide entrepreneurs who are natural persons concluding contracts with entrepreneurs with the stronger market position the same protection as provided for consumers in the scope of the use of abusive clauses, warranty for defects and the right to withdraw from a distance or off-premises contract. The introduced regulation raises some theoretical and practical doubts. They result from the unclear terms used by the legislator and from giving decisive importance to the data contained in CEIDG when qualifying contracts in terms of their professional nature.

Intrarater reliability of the Abilitator—a self-report questionnaire on work ability and functioning aimed at the population in a weak labour market position: a test–retest study

ObjectivesThe Abilitator is a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) of work ability and functioning of those in a weak labour market position. It covers items for work ability and self-rated health, for example, and summary scales for social, psychological, cognitive and physical functioning, as well as everyday skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intrarater test–retest reliability, internal consistency and basic psychometric properties of the Finnish version of the Abilitator.Design, setting and outcomeThe test–retest study was conducted in European Social Fund projects in 2018–2019. The participants completed two Abilitator questionnaires over 7–14 days. The internal consistency analysis was based on data collected in 2017–2019 in services for the long-term unemployed. The reliability was assessed using correlations (r, rs, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)), agreement with Bland-Altman analysis and internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha.ParticipantsThe test–retest study had 67 participants (52% men, mean age 43.9 years) and the internal consistency study 10 923 (48% men, mean age 38.58 years), respectively. Of all the participants, 80% had been unemployed for over a year.ResultsThe test–retest r or rs ranged from 0.71 to 0.93 and ICC from 0.74 to 0.93 for the items and summary scales. An exception was the life satisfaction item, with an rs of 0.60 and ICC of 0.45. A statistically significant difference was observed in the summary scale for social functioning (t=−2.01, p=0.049). Agreement was observed for all variables except social functioning. Alphas for summary scales ranged from 0.74 to 0.91.ConclusionsThe Finnish version of the Abilitator is a reliable PROM for the target group and has acceptable to excellent intrarater test–retest reliability and internal consistency, apart from the life satisfaction item. Further testing is needed for the social functioning summary scale.

STUDYING ACTIVITIES OF COMPETITORS OF MOTOR TRANSPORT ENTERPRISE

This article discusses the study of competitors’ activity and presents some of the results of our research in this area. The main purpose of the study is to determine the positions, establish the strengths and weaknesses of their activities, assess their own ability to develop on this basis, the strategy and tactics of competitive behavior of the enterprise in the market. Based on the study of literature sources, the shortcomings of the existing model of analyzing competitors are identified, the proposals for its improvement are given. It is proposed to study the activities of competitors in the following sequence: identifying priority competitors, collecting data on their activities, identifying strengths and weaknesses, determining the position of the company among competitors. To determine the priority competitors, the analysis of the correlation field – the cell in the coordinate system – competitor and market segment is offered, in which we obtain the data: the volume of transport services, the market segment share, the share of traffic in total transport work. These indicators are determined for each competitor and show the priority of each competitor. At the first stage of the methodology of analysis of competitors’ activity, an approach to the definition of priority competitors is proposed, which means those of them who have the largest market share, both in the market as a whole and in a particular market segment. Much attention in the study is paid to determining the list of signs of competitors’ priority and establishing sources of information. On the basis of certain values of the enterprise and competitors there is an opportunity to establish the strengths and weaknesses of each of them. On the basis of the signs of enterprises’ activity that characterize their size, it is possible to obtain a generalized assessment of the market position of the trucking company and competitors, their strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, ratings are made without and with taking into account the importance of each criterion of the market position of MTE and competitors. The results of the research can be used in the process of determining the optimal strategy for motor transport enterprises.

Beyond Streaming Wars: Rethinking Competition in Video Services

Internet-distributed video services have attracted exceptional attention in recent years for their novelty and growth. Business and trade discussions frequently excerpt internet-distributed video services from the broader field of video and narrowly construct their relationship as one of direct competition (e.g., streaming wars). However, there are several distinguishing characteristics of these services that make their relationship more complex. This article explores the multifaceted distinctions and markets within internet-distributed video, including differences in programming, geography, audience, business model, and market position. We also consider what is at stake in different imaginings of video markets for media industry scholarship and policy.

OPTIMIZATION OF THE LOGISTICS PROCESSES OF TRADING ENTERPRISES DURING THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD

Companies are chasing the most efficient and modern logistics processes, constantly developing in improving both goods and services to win in the fight for attention and loyalty of customers. Logistics processes have a significant impact on the economy of the enterprise, form its financial indicators, affect the market position of the economic entity. Procurement, warehousing, distribution, transportation should be analyzed and evaluated for efficiency.

Workplace Contact and Support for Anti-Immigration Parties

How does an increased presence of immigrants in the workplace affect anti-immigration voting behavior? While cooperative interactions between natives and immigrants can reduce intergroup prejudice, immigrant coworkers might be regarded as a threat to native-born workers’ labor market position. We combine detailed Swedish workplace data with precinct-level election outcomes for a large anti-immigration party (the Sweden Democrats) to study how the share of non-Europeans in the workplace affects opposition to immigration. We show that the share of non-Europeans in the workplace has a negative effect on support for the Sweden Democrats and that this effect is solely driven by same-skill contact in small workplaces. We interpret these results as supporting the so-called contact hypothesis: that increased interactions with minorities can reduce opposition to immigration among native-born voters, which, in turn, leads to lower support for anti-immigration parties.