The relationship between technology adoption and strategy in business-to-business markets : The case of e-commerce

Firms have been traditionally advised to adopt information and communication technologies (ICT) to support the achievement of existing business objectives. However, entry into business-to-business e-commerce may require the concurrent adoption of new business strategies. This paper argues, therefore, that ICT analysis needs to be considered at the same time and at the same strategic level, as internal, competitor and market analysis. This is because the source of the competitive advantage brought by ICT has changed, to be largely obtained through increase in customers' perceived value. The literature presents a confused picture of the likely consequences to a firm of its adoption of e-commerce. This paper concludes that any such adoption must be evaluated in the environment of the individual firm. A multidimensional analytical framework, taking a combined informational and marketing perspective, is presented to assist with such evaluations.     

The relative influence of competitive intensity and business strategy on the relationship between financial leverage and performance

This study empirically investigates the effects of competitive intensity and business strategy on the relationship between financial leverage and the performance of firms. Based on a sample of US manufacturing firms, this study confirms the hypothesis that the cost of debt is higher for product differentiation firms than cost leadership firms. Furthermore, the results indicate that competitive intensity has a negative effect on the leverage-performance relationship, suggesting that competition acts as a substitute for debt in limiting manager's opportunistic behavior. These findings reinforce the need to consider moderating factors such as strategic choice and the environment in which a firm operates when investigating the effects of leverage on performance.     

EXAMINATION OF A PATH MODEL RELATING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE WITH FIRM PERFORMANCE

This article draws on the resource‐based view of the firm to investigate the mechanisms through which information technology (IT) impacts firm performance. Research suggests that the relationship between IT and firm performance may be both direct and indirect. In this study, a path model is tested that proposes a firm's IT infrastructure resources as having both a direct impact on organizational performance, as well as an indirect effect that is propagated through its impact on an intermediate organizational resource, a firm's logistics information system (LIS). The results suggest that positive firm performance may be derived directly from an organization's superior IT infrastructure, as well as indirectly, through its enabling impact on LIS's. These findings contribute to our understanding of the nature of the relationship between IT and firm performance by exploring the value of IT at both the process and organizational levels.     

涉农企业竞争力评价的难点问题及解决途径

涉农企业竞争力评价是政府、企业、金融机构和科教机构实现组织目标、提高决策质量的必然需求,现有涉农企业竞争力评价普遍存在评价对象认识困难、评价指标体系构建困难和评价指标权重确定困难三个难点问题,导致评价质量难以保证。本文在借鉴企业竞争力评价研究的一般理论和方法的基础上,以系统分析思想为指导,运用文献查阅、实地调研、比较研究等方法,重点分析指出了解决涉农企业竞争力评价三大研究难题、保证评价质量的有效途径。     

如何将服务贸易的比较优势转化为竞争优势

服务贸易不同于货物贸易,服务贸易的比较优势、竞争优势也与货物贸易不同。服务贸易具有不可分离性、不可触知性、不可储存性等特点。服务贸易比较优势主要是以人力资本为基础。企业的长期发展,必须将比较优势转化为竞争优势。要加快国内服务业发展,进一步开放服务贸易市场,优化和升级我国国际服务贸易结构,提高整体竞争力。     

广东省农产品出口竞争力分析

分析表明,广东省农产品出口的显性比较优势指数呈缓慢下降趋势,国际市场占有率呈稳步上升趋势,贸易竞争指数曲折中呈下降趋势。总体来看,广东省农产品整体国际竞争力不强,竞争优势有待进一步发掘。文章提出了提升广东省农产品出口竞争力的相应措施,包括：创新模式,推进出口农产品质量安全基地建设;运用比较优势,调整产业结构,增强国际竞争力;挖掘、培育长效优势品种,创建农产品出口品牌;积极开拓出口市场,推进市场多元化。     

Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding

As the field of employee branding has begun to unfold, more and more executives have become interested in how this process can help them achieve a competitive advantage for their organizations. This article explains how employee branding works and how it can be utilized to position the organization in the minds of customers, employees, and other stakeholders. A contextual analysis of its use as a source of sustainable competitive advantage at Southwest Airlines is presented. Finally, key success factors are identified for those who wish to make employee branding a strategic focus within their organizations.     

Is television advertising being placed to reach product users?

Several textbooks, journal articles, and advertising practitioners indicate that the advertising for many products should be directed toward the heavy users of the product category. Other works suggest that advertising should be directed at current users of a brand to retain them or to users of competitive brands in an effort to attract them. The purpose of this article is to compare these directions for how advertising should be placed with data showing how advertising is being placed. The comparison is made using supermarket scanner panel data and household advertising exposure data. Examples are also provided to indicate the extent to which advertising could be targeted to heavy users of the product category and users of a brand, given the actual viewing and consumption patterns. Several implications for the placement of advertising are discussed.     

竞争情报——提升企业竞争力的有效途径

企业每天都需要同顾客、供应商、政府部门和其他人打交道,而在激烈的市场竞争中总有其他企业同你竞争这些资源,因此企业为了在市场中寻求一席之地就要充分做好竞争情报工作,竞争情报对企业竞争力的提升有重要作用。     

Competitive Tendering and Contracting in the Public Sector: A Survey

This paper is a survey of the role and impact of competitive tendering and contracting (CTC) policies in the public sector. The paper examines the theoretical rationale for introducing competition in the provision of public services and the methodology by which contracting decisions are reached. It investigates the extent of implementation and nature of outcomes in several countries. A broad sweep of the empirical findings suggests that CTC generates substantial cost savings. Lack of adequate data makes an assessment of the effect on quality more troublesome, and further research is needed