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on Economics of Strategic Management |
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Issue of 2007‒05‒26
seven papers chosen by Joao Jose de Matos Ferreira University of the Beira Interior |
| By: | Lazzarini, Sergio G. & Mesquita, Luiz F. & Cronin, Patrick |
| Date: | 2007–10 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ibm:ibmecp:wpe_80&r=cse |
| By: | Lena Nekby (Stockholm University and IZA); Peter Skogman Thoursie (Stockholm University); Lars Vahtrik (Stockholm University) |
| Abstract: | Using a large running race in Sweden, this study shows that there are male-dominated environments in which the selection of women who participate are more likely to be confident/competitive and that, within this group, performance improves equally for both genders. |
| Keywords: | overconfidence, competitiveness, gender differences |
| JEL: | J2 J16 J71 |
| Date: | 2007–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2794&r=cse |
| By: | ASAKAWA Kazuhiro |
| Abstract: | Japan's dominance in TFT-LCD production share has weakened over time, while Korea and Taiwan have taken over the leading positions. After reviewing conventional wisdom regarding the factors influencing the decline in Japan's production volume, we reframe the entire issue from the perspective of "metanational" learning. Success behind Korean and Taiwanese firms lies in the fact that they have adopted the metanational approach: learning knowledge from Japan and adopting the global best-supplier policy for equipment and materials, regardless of nationality (e.g. Samsung). We argue that the relevance of the metanational approach (as opposed to the domestic "black box" approach) is determined by the competitive advantage of home country/industry and company. While this approach is generally considered appropriate for firms that are trying to overcome their home country disadvantages, we argue that the metanational approach remains appropriate for firms which need to cope with eroding country and industry competitiveness, such as Japanese firms in the TFT-LCD industry. |
| Date: | 2007–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:07029&r=cse |
| By: | Isabel Pizarro-Moreno (Department of Business Administration, Universidad Pablo de Olavide); Juan C. Real (Department of Business Administration, Universidad Pablo de Olavide); Elena Sousa-Ginel (Department of Business Administration, Universidad Pablo de Olavide) |
| Abstract: | Increasing globalisation and dynamism in the economy has made it necessary for established companies to regenerate themselves and renew their ability to compete. This is the goal of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) activities, which involve extending the firm’s domain of competence and corresponding opportunity set, through internally generated new resource combinations. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the way the process of CE is developed within the organizations. In order to achieve this, a model relating key components of the CE process (opportunity, initiative and capability) to five phases of knowledge creation taken from Nonaka & Takeuchi is proponed. |
| Keywords: | organizational knowledge creation; corporate entrepreneurship; knowledge-base view; innovation; development of capabilities |
| Date: | 2007–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pab:wpbsad:07.02&r=cse |
| By: | Paulson, Nicholas D.; Ginder, Roger |
| Abstract: | The biodiesel industry in the United States has realized significant growth over the past decade through large increases in annual production and production capacity and a transition from smaller batch plants to larger-scale continuous producers. The larger, continuous-flow plants provide operating cost advantages over the smaller batch plants through their ability to capture co-products and reuse certain components in the production process. This paper uses a simple capital budgeting model developed by the authors along with production data supplied by industry sources to estimate production costs, return-on-investment levels, and break-even conditions for two common plant sizes (30 and 60 million gallon annual capacities) over a range of biodiesel and feedstock price levels. The analysis shows that the larger plant realizes returns to scale in both labor and capital costs, enabling the larger plant to pay up to $0.015 more per pound for the feedstock to achieve equivalent return levels as the smaller plant under the same conditions. The paper contributes to the growing literature on the biodiesel industry by using the most current conversion rates for the production technology and current price levels to estimate biodiesel production costs and potential plant performance, providing a useful follow-up to previous studies. |
| Keywords: | biodiesel, biofuels, feedstock, production costs, return on investment. |
| Date: | 2007–05–16 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:isu:genres:12813&r=cse |
| By: | Giovanni Dosi; Alfonso Gambardella; Marco Grazzi; Luigi Orsenigo |
| Abstract: | In this work we discuss the impact of the new ICT techno-economic paradigm upon the vertical and horizontal boundaries of the firm and ask whether the change in the sources of competitive advantage has resulted in changes in the size distribution of firms and also in the degree of concentration of industries. Drawing both on firm-level and national statistical data we assess the evolution of the overall balances between the activities which are integrated within organizations and those which occur through market interactions. While the new paradigm entails ``revolutionary'' changes in the domain of technology, the modification in industrial structures has been somewhat more incremental. Certainly, the vertical and horizontal boundaries of firms have changed and together one is observing a turnover in the club of biggest world firms accounting also for a shift in the relative importance of industrial sectors. Nonetheless, we do not observe an abrupt fading of the Chandlerian multidivisional corporation in favour of smaller less-integrated firms. |
| Keywords: | New techno-economic paradigm; Organizational change; Vertical integration; Boundaries of the firm; Visible hand. |
| Date: | 2007–05–14 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2007/12&r=cse |
| By: | Ashoka Mody; Deniz Igan; Stefania Fabrizio |
| Abstract: | Despite the appreciation of the exchange rate, the eight Central and Eastern European countries (the CEE-8) that entered the European Union in May 2004 have achieved a decade of impressive export growth, expanding significantly their shares of world markets. Does this mean that the real exchange rate is irrelevant? If not, what other factors compensated for the appreciation to explain the apparently strong competitiveness of these economies? And will these favorable factors continue to power export growth? This paper places in international context the achievements of the CEE-8 and helps more broadly to identify the determinants of international competitiveness. Building from data at the six-digit level of disaggregation, it shows that the CEE-8 made an impressive shift in product quality and in the technological intensity of exports, and that these shifts associated with the structural transformation were also associated with increased market share. The analysis strongly suggests that, when trading in international markets, countries benefit from higher product quality. However, while the structural transformation achieved was valuable in raising market shares, the easy gains from this process may be over. |
| Date: | 2007–04–24 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:07/97&r=cse |