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The study explores the critical role of digitalization in enhancing the competitive advantage of Albanian manufacturing firms amidst a rapidly changing business environment (Guo et al., 2023). It examines various data sources to understand how digital transformation influences firm performance and strategies in Albania. The findings reveal that digitalization significantly boosts profitability, market share, and innovation in these firms, enabling a faster response to market shifts and customer needs. Key drivers for digital adoption in the Albanian manufacturing sector include market trends, competitive pressures, and technological advancements. However, challenges such as financial constraints, skill gaps in the workforce, and data security issues are also prevalent (Kalaj et al., 2022). The research concludes that digitalization is a strategic necessity for Albanian manufacturing firms aiming to establish themselves as industry leaders. By effectively leveraging digital technologies and overcoming related hurdles, these firms can excel in the global market. This condensed summary presents the essence of the original text, focusing on the main findings and conclusions of the research on digitalization in the Albanian manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exporting agricultural products is considered as one of the strategies for developing non-oil exports and achieving sustainable economic growth in developing countries. Saffron, as an export commodity, holds particular significance in Iran's non-oil exports. Given Iran's position among the top four saffron-exporting countries globally, this study aims to prioritize Iran's saffron target markets based on market competition indices and calculate its relative advantage and export stability index in the world market and Iran's export target countries. Comparison of the global market structure of the product during 2003 to 2022 revealed that despite the significant shares of Iran, Spain, England, and Nigeria in most years, the market structure has been characterized by a multi-sided monopoly, open and closed, and in some years dominated by oligopoly, indicating an increase in the number of competitors and the competitiveness of the export market for this product. Iran, with an average share of 13.6% in the saffron export market and producing over 80% of saffron, does not have a direct share in global exports, and most of Iran's saffron is exported to countries such as the UAE, Spain, China, and Oman, and then re-exported to other countries, for which strategies such as market expansion and branding need to be prioritized. The results showed that in 2022, four countries, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Spain, accounted for 93% of the total world exports, and Iran ranked second in terms of export volume in the saffron export market during the study period. Also, Iran had an export stability index of less than one (0.96) but the trend of this index indicates a decrease in Iran's stability. The results showed that the majority of Iran's saffron exports are concentrated in only four countries, with the composition of these countries varying over time. To enhance market stability and growth, it is crucial to expand the target export markets. Prioritization should be given to China, UAE, Spain, India, USA, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, and Kuwait, with average priority ranks of 4.15, 6.85, 7.7, 7.95, 8.9, 12.3, 14.35, 15.25, 15.5, and 16.45 respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that the export market for saffron is oligopolistic. Therefore, it is essential for all exporting countries to collaborate in determining the price and market share for each country. This collaborative approach can help in stabilizing the market, ensuring fair pricing, and promoting sustainable growth in the saffron industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chinese firms are winning market share from foreign multinational enterprises in domestic markets. The international business literature suggests that this is happening because these firms are developing non-traditional firm-specific advantages (FSAs). Strategic factor market (SFM) theory provides a good basis for explaining how this is happening. However, it is underdeveloped in terms of analysing unique resources and unique access to those resources by Chinese firms in their domestic markets. This paper aims to develop a framework to understand how Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs. Design/methodology/approach: The case study method is adopted to explore how Chinese firms develop non-traditional FSAs. Specifically, the authors compare paired case studies of a Chinese firm and a foreign multinational in each of two industries. Findings: The authors find that Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs because of more relevant experience, better adapted strategies and privileged relationships. This has enabled Chinese firms to develop non-traditional FSAs. Originality/value: The authors propose a framework that conceptualises non-traditional FSA development in Chinese firms as a product of superior access to unique and valuable resources in their domestic SFMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo breeding strategies are essential in realizing "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic (BASP)". This review article aims to explore the crucial role of breeding strategies in achieving the substitution of plastic products with bamboo as outlined under the BASP Initiative. Firstly, we address the issue of plastic pollution, along with the background of reducing the market share and demand for plastic products. It categorizes the types of bamboo products that can fully or partially replace plastic products in various categories, such as daily necessities, building materials, and industrial products. Then, we investigate which bamboo species can replace which plastic products and propose the need for bamboo improvement. Furthermore, it presents data from positioning observation research stations for bamboo forest ecosystems in China and outlines the essential traits necessary for bamboo substitution, including characteristics like long internode length, extended fiber length, thick culm wall, and optimal cellulose-to-lignin content ratio, among others. Finally, we discuss breeding methods and genetic improvement as key strategies to achieve bamboo substitution and suggest the potential of enhancing bamboo traits to serve as a viable replacement source for plastics. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance bamboo's growth features and physical properties to meet the criteria for substituting bamboo for plastics effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia has largest Muslim population in the world, holds immense potential to lead the global technology based financial service revolution. However, the current landscape presents limitated market share. Out of 330 licensed fintechs, only 28 adhere to Sharia economic principles. This study aimed to to provide a conceptual model and unravel the factors shaping Behavioral Intentions (BI) in the use of Islamic Fintech in Indonesia. Additionally, it sought to assess the mediating effects of BI on the relationship between UTAUT2, Religiosity, and Service Quality of Islamic fintech, impacting Use Behavior (UB). Questionnaires was administered from 539 respondents, forming the basis for primary data collection. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis, while SEM PLS examined the relationships between variables. This study revealed that BI of Islamic fintech directly influenced by Performance Expectation (PE), Effort Expectation (EE), Social Influence (SI), Habit (HA), Religiosity (RE), and ESQUAL (ESQ), while Facilitating Conditions (FC), HA, and BI significantly affects UB. A pivotal finding was the identification of BI as a mediator in the relationship between RE and ESQ, influencing subsequent UB. These results contribute significantly to the existing knowledge base, offering valuable insights to enhance the performance of Islamic fintech in Indonesia. The proposed factor model not only provides a framework for influencing behavioral intention within the sector but also suggests improvements to operational efficiency and effectiveness. This study is poised to make substantial contributions to the managerial and policy frameworks of Islamic fintech firms, fostering a more robust and responsive industry in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Consumer perception of corporate brand equity has primarily focused on product brand dimensions, neglecting considerations at the firm analysis level. Assessing corporate brands requires different criteria relevant to the competitiveness of companies, such as their prominence, management and meeting society's demands. In this sense, this study aims to develop and validate a scale of corporate brand equity founded on consumer perceptions, transcending industry boundaries and comparing its relationship with companies' market share. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used an integrative approach to clarify the construct's domain, building on previous measures. They took several steps to select appropriate items, refine the measure, validate it through reliability tests and convergent and discriminant analyses, test the validity of the second-order formative structure of corporate brand equity and assess associations between first-order factors, the second-order factor and market share. Findings: The model identifies three first-order dimensions of corporate brands (presence, outstanding management and responsible) that shape the second-order factor (corporate brand equity). They are directly related, but not proportionally, to market share, contributing to the general and joint assessment of the company's competitive performance considering the consumer. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first attempt to develop a comprehensive measurement model of corporate brand equity that considers the firm level of analysis, combines metrics from previous research on corporate brand evaluation criteria and includes consumer perceptions of the company's competitiveness, unifying branding theory with the theory of the marketing firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of relationship marketing and organizational performance in the hospitality industry in Bayelsa State. It adopts the cross sectional research design to elicit information about employees' empathy and satisfaction and how these antecedents give rise to increased market share and sales volume of hotels in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The population consists of all existing hotels in the state and their workforce from which a sample size of seventy-six (76) employees was drawn using the simple random sampling technique. These samples were issued self report questionnaires and the collected data were analyzed using Spearman's Rank Order Correlation Coefficient through the aid of SPSS version 25. The findings revealed that relationship marketing (empathy and satisfaction) had a positive and significant correlation with performance (market share and sales volume), which is influenced by participants' level of education. Based on this, it was concluded that relationship marketing dimensions of empathy and satisfaction are key predictors of organizational performance in terms of market share and sales volume among hotels in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The study therefore recommends that since in today's competitive world, customers are in the center of organization's attention and their satisfaction is the main factor in gaining competitive advantage, therefore, continuous training of employees on relationship marketing approach should be encouraged in the hotel operations as it would help hotels to retain valuable customers and equally attract potential ones. Also, hotels in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State should only employ individuals with requisite knowledge of themselves (self awareness) as this will reflect on the way they serve customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Optimizing the pharmaceutical industrial structure is the key mission of China’s healthcare reform. From the industrial structure perspective, this study empirically evaluated the impact of China’s national volume-based procurement (NVBP) policy on market concentration in the hospital-end drug market. Methods: This study used drug procurement data of China’s public medical institutions which obtained from the national database. A quasi-natural experiment was designed involving eleven pairs of matched treatment-control region combinations, with NVBP policy as the intervention measure. The market was defined by drug name (molecular boundary) and city/province (geographical boundary). Market changes were measured from three dimensions: the number of enterprises and products, market share, and Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI). Dual comparison approach and difference-in-difference (DID) method with fixed effect model were applied to quantify policy impacts. Results: The number of enterprises and products decreased by 18 and 83 in pilot regions after NVBP policy, far more than the decreases in control regions (6 and 21). The accumulative market share of 15 bid-winning enterprises increased by 53.67% in volume and 18.79% in value, among which the increment of enterprises with low baseline market share was more prominent (66.64% and 36.40%). Among three enterprise types, the market share of generic consistency evaluation (GCE) certificated generics significantly increased, GCE uncertificated generics significantly decreased, and originators slightly decreased. DID models indicated significantly positive impact of NVBP policy on market concentration, with HHI-volume and HHI-value increasing by 49.33% (β = 0.401, p < 0.01) and 21.05% (β = 0.191, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The implementation of NVBP promoted the intensive drug circulation and supply of Chinese public hospitals, intensifying the exit of GCE uncertificated generics from the hospital-end market. NVBP combined with GCE standards significantly improved market concentration, which brought a positive signal of pharmaceutical industrial structure optimization in China. In the future context of normalized and institutionalized NVBP, the balance should be further sought between low drug prices and reliable hospital drug supply, sustainable industry development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Sharing economy" refers to a transformative socio-economic phenomenon where individuals or institution with idle resources transfer the right to use resources for economic compensation. With the widespread adoption of distributed photovoltaic generation and energy storage (ES) device in residential communities, there is a growing interest in establishing a suitable platform for residential users to share their ES capacity with community shared equipment controllers (CSECs). This paper proposes a local ES capacity sharing market, and presents the market trading process, pricing and allocation rules using an iterative uniform-price bidding mechanism Acknowledging the selfish-interest of both RUs and CSECs, we introduce the resource management organization (RMO) as a regulated third-party organization responsible for administering the market. To evaluate the proposed scheme, we conduct case studies based on real-life data from Pecan Street. The numerical experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe context of casual-dining restaurants in emerging markets represents a unique sector in the foodservice industry and this study represents the first analysis of the impact of entry timing on firm performance for casual-dining foodservice firms in a developing market. A theoretical model of the hypothesized relationships was developed. Data were collected from three hundred and one users of forty-one separate casual-dining restaurant chains in the country of Kuwait. Regression and path analyses were used to test the model. Although market penetration is revealed to have a positive direct effect on market share, market entry timing is shown to exhibit a negative direct effect on market share. This means that later entrants with less time-in-market actually exhibit larger market share than earlier entrants; thus, providing contrary evidence to a first-mover effect. Therefore, early entry is not as important in this setting as may be expected since later entrants are likely to introduce new and innovative offerings capable of overcoming the presumed pioneering advantages of early entrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of a 'green' value‐added tax in the competitive environment of firms. Using data on firms in Romania and leveraging the introduction of a tax reduction on organic products in 2019, I show that although the overall market for organic goods grows and potential to generate windfall profit exists, the market share of incumbent firms decreases because of intensified competition post‐reform driven by new entrants competing for profits in the market. The market share decreases by about 2 percentage points after the reform. The effect depends on the relative elasticity of demand vis‐à‐vis supply in the market and the ability of a firm to protect its sales from new market entrants. Firms operating geographically further from the main consumer (i.e., more rural firms) and further upstream from the retail sector are more vulnerable to losing market share because urban demand is less elastic than rural demand and retail demand is less elastic than primary demand. Firms that are in markets where it is easier to switch from non‐organic to organic and that are less capital intensive (i.e., have fewer fixed costs) are more vulnerable to losing market share to new market entrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effects of generic entry on the market share of different statins. We use administrative records from a representative sample of Australians between 2003 and 2014 and analyse over 21 million prescriptions to quantify the change in the total market share of each statin after experiencing generic entry for the first time. With detailed information on patients' benefits and prices, we also estimate potential savings from increasing the use of statins where generics became available. Our results indicate that despite the price decrease, the market share of the molecule experiencing generic entry does not significantly increase, and there is some evidence of substitution away from statins with generic availability. For the most commonly used molecules, this association is stronger in patients receiving higher government subsidies. We calculate potential savings of A\$17 million if patients had initiated treatment with the most prescribed off‐patent statin rather than a patent‐protected statin. Generic entry after patent expiry presents an opportunity for a significant reduction in pharmaceutical expenditure if these are preferred. This study highlights the importance of improving prescription systems that help doctors recommend lower cost, clinically appropriate alternatives and enhance the effectiveness of policies promoting generic substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Economic Administrative & Legal Sciences is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One plus one makes three: this equation is the special alchemy of a merger or an acquisition. The key principle behind buying a company is to create shareholder value over and above that of the sum of the two companies. Two companies together are more valuable than two separate companies - at least, that's the reason behind M&A. This rationale is particularly alluring to companies when times are tough. Strong companies will act to buy other companies to create a more competitive, cost-efficient company. The companies will come together hoping to gain a greater market share or to achieve greater efficiency. Because of these potential benefits, target companies will often agree to be purchased when they know they cannot survive alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FinanzRundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Systematic internalizers are single‐dealer platforms run by investment firms that trade out of their own inventories by internalizing the trades off exchanges. We analyze the determinants of dealers' market shares and trading costs. We find that dealer trades have lower price impacts than exchange trades, consistent with uninformed traders seeking out dealers. Due to their ability to avoid trading with informed investors, dealers often undercut the exchange bid–ask spread when the spread is wide and the tick size is not binding. Dealers can therefore offer lower trading costs and gain a higher market share relative to exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TikTok has an impact on growing its market share and providing opportunities for TikTok to develop its business through online shopping called TikTok Shop. This research aims to determine the relationship between live streaming and flash sales on purchasing decisions on the TiktokShop application. This research is quantitative. The data collection method in research is through distributing of online questionnaires. The number of samples collected was 120 respondents in the city of Cirebon who had made purchases during live streaming and flash sales on the TiktokShop application. This research uses a non-probability sampling method, namely purposive sampling. Test data analysis using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) theoretical model on SmartPLS 3 software. Based on the research results, it can be concluded that the live streaming variable has a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions on the TiktokShop Application, and the flash sales variable also has a positive and significant influence on purchasing decisions on the TiktokShop Application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market share of the Islamic banking industry in Indonesia for three decades, based on OJK data at the end of 2022, only reached 7.03%. This figure is categorized as low when viewed from the overall Muslim-majority population. Many Muslims have excellent potential for developing Islamic banking in Indonesia. This study aims to look at the factors that influence attracting people to save their money in Islamic banks through saving activities, especially in Generation Z. The data used in this study are the data of Generation Z. The data used in this study are primary data obtained directly through questionnaires and processed by the SEM PLS method. The results of this study prove that Islamic financial literacy, religiosity level, and digital marketing have a significant influence on Generation Z's interest in saving money at Islamic banks. The social environment and product quality do not have a significant influence. Therefore, the government, banks, and other related parties need to increase public financial literacy through various media and studies related to Islamic economic materials and strengthened by digital marketing that further introduces Islamic banking products, especially to Generation Z. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defaunation and extinction undermine the resilience and functioning of ecological communities and ecosystems. Relative to other disturbances, overexploitation for the global wildlife trade presents a unique case of trait‐based selection, as demand for specific individuals is often tied to unique morphological or aesthetic traits desired by consumers ('market traits'). Because evolutionary history leads to species that share both market and functional traits, we posit that non‐random patterns of exploitation will result in non‐random loss of functional diversity.We applied a trait‐based framework to the global songbird trade for 4616 species, 148 of which are plausibly threatened by the trade. We quantified select market traits, such as unique coloration and song quality, and ecological traits related to body size, diet, and foraging strategy to assess whether the trade disproportionately threatens particular functional groups. We additionally looked for patterns of association between market traits and functional traits to assess whether selection on certain market traits could drive selection on associated functional traits.We found that overexploited birds are a distinct functional subset of the global songbird pool, with the trade disproportionately threatening large bodied, frugivorous, and seed eating birds. Across all songbirds, there were multiple non‐random associations between market traits and functional traits, with the strongest associations observed among trade‐threatened birds; this was consistent with our theory that consumer‐driven selection on market traits could theoretically result in selection on functional traits. However, there was mixed evidence for this hypothesis at a global scale, suggesting that disproportionate threat to functional diversity may be more likely in regions where there is heavy demand for associated market traits.Policy implications. Our results highlight the need for increased focus on the mechanistic drivers of trait‐based selection on the consumer side of wildlife trade, and how patterns of overexploitation can systematically affect ecological communities and ecosystem services. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the impact of knowledge capital (KC), a key element of firms' innovation and competitiveness, on stock returns during economic crises when sustainable competitiveness becomes particularly important. We analyze the impact of the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 as economic crises, focusing on manufacturing industries with a high proportion of investment shifts from physical capital to KC. Our findings indicate that KC is positively associated with stock returns during the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19. This positive relationship is strengthened by the firm's ability to leverage KC, as measured by greater product market share, higher Tobin's Q, and larger cash holdings. This study emphasizes the protective role of KC during the economic crisis when the market pays more attention to corporate sustainability and provides implications to corporate managers and investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the underlying mechanisms through which entrepreneurial marketing (EM) promotes the development of a favorable brand image and enhances sales growth and market share in new ventures (NVs). Design/methodology/approach: The authors tested the theoretical model using a multi-informant design in which survey data were collected from NV entrepreneurs and marketing managers. Hypotheses were tested using linear regression and PROCESS analysis. Findings: The authors demonstrate the significance of EM as comprising two NV capabilities – first, the level of complementarity between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientation (MO) as a dynamic capability, and second, brand management capabilities (BMCs) as an operational capability – in shaping a favorable NV brand image and promoting market performance. Research limitations/implications: The authors offer a novel perspective by demonstrating that EO and MO yield complementarities in driving NVs' BMCs, which, in turn, drive brand image development and market performance for NVs. In doing so, the authors demonstrate novel theoretical implications for the relevance of EM to NV branding, which, to date, has received scant attention in the literature. Practical implications: The authors identify a potential avenue for entrepreneurs and NV managers to mitigate the potential failure rates by simultaneously pursuing a higher level of EO and MO and investing in brand-building activities. Such efforts can help enhance brand image, drive sales growth and foster long-term success. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to include brand capabilities as an element of EM, examine EM in NV brand image development and identify the role of EM capabilities relevant to NV brand building and market performance simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destination branding is an essential marketing tool that enables countries, cities, or regions to differentiate themselves based on their unique values from competitors and supports their sustainable development. A destination brand has the potential to gain larger market shares in the ever-growing and competitive tourism sector. Consequently, destination branding has emerged as a popular topic in academia and practice in recent years. A prerequisite for successful destination branding is the development of a distinct destination brand identity. Brand identity plays a critical role as it serves as a foundational element of the brand and shapes its overall image. However, the process of developing destination brand identity is complex, involving multiple dimensions, interdisciplinary approaches, and the active engagement of numerous stakeholders. It necessitates a systematic, coordinated, and long-term effort. The challenges inherent in this process underscore the importance of methodological approaches that clarify how destination brand identity should be crafted. This study uses a dual (Delphi and Factor analyses) methodological approach for creating destination brand identities that effectively articulate a destination's unique value and facilitate meaningful communication with target audiences. The study aims to contribute original insights by presenting a model design for destination brand identity creation, addressing the multifaceted and intricate nature of destination branding. It also aims to pave the way for future research endeavours in this dynamic field. After the study, four prominent brand identities/themes/areas were identified for branding the Adana destination: "Planned City", "Health City", "Modern Agricultural City", and "Sociocultural Centre-Entertainment City". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a dynamic model of price competition with differentiated products in which new generations of consumers acquire information about available products from their friends of previous generations. The social network, which links consumers across generations, affects the evolution of consumers' awareness of products and firms' long‐term (steady‐state) market shares. Focusing on steady‐state equilibria, we examine how the structure of the social network—including connectivity and homophily—influences market shares, pricing, and welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Indonesian Agribusiness / Jurnal Agribisnis Indonesia is the property of IPB University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Australian exports of important goods have been hit by sanctions imposed by the Chinese Government in recent years. This paper seeks to estimate the losses to Australian exports from these sanctions. Commodities affected include coal, copper ores and concentrates, frozen beef, wine, cotton, barley, rough wood, rock lobster and hay. Based on declines in Australia's share of the import market for the sanctioned commodities, the paper finds that gross export losses to Australia in the China market rose from AU $3 billion in 2020 to AU $31 billion in 2022 at current prices. This differs appreciably from previous estimates. Net losses, which take into account the diversion of sanctioned trade to third country markets, are estimated, very approximately, at AU $11 billion in 2022 and at AU $20 billion over 2020–2022, at 2019 prices. Future losses in the China market will depend heavily on whether the recent improvement in relations between the Australian and Chinese Governments can be maintained. It will also depend on the intensity of US–China tensions since they will tend to shape Australian responses to issues of interest to China. Business commitments to new customers in third country markets, and assessments of the risk that the Chinese market will close again are likely to be among other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel decomposition approach for measuring deterrence motives in dynamic oligopoly games. Our approach yields a formalized, scale-free, and interpretable measure of deterrence motives that informs researchers about the proportion for which deterrence motives account of all entry motives. In addition, the decomposition leads to a set of conditions for counterfactual analysis where hypothetical scenarios with deterrence motives eliminated can be explored. We illustrate the use of our measure and counterfactual by conducting an empirical case study about the dynamics of coffee chain stores in Toronto, Canada. The inferred deterrence motives suggest that a noticeable proportion of entry motives can be attributed to deterrence; it can be as high as 43% for the increasingly dominant coffee chain, Starbucks, in certain types of markets. Finally, counterfactual analysis confirms that deterrence motives are indeed associated with Starbucks' aggressive presence as the number of its outlets and its market share are markedly lower once these motives are eliminated. This paper was accepted by Matthew Shum, marketing. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4864. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a monopoly and Stackelberg duopoly model for "new economy" markets—with a Beckerian S-shaped demand curve at its center—that allows for intermediate degrees of firm focality and consumer heterogeneity. Because of network externalities, firms compete for the dominant market share, rather than the marginal consumer. This leads to a type of limit pricing—from within, rather than from outside the market—where the nondominant firm captures a positive market share that serves as a consolation prize. We characterize how firms' technologies, "consumer impulses" (which might be influenced by past sales, defaults, or advertising), and network externalities affect competition, and derive implications for firm strategy. Broadly speaking, we find that the dominant firm should adopt an aggressive "top-dog" stance (akin to, but not identical to, that of a firm seeking to deter rival entry), whereas the nondominant firm should respond with an accommodating "puppy-dog" approach. This paper was accepted by Alfonso Gambardella, business strategy. Funding: R. Akerlof received financial support from the Institute for New Economic Thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore several challenges in the use of regulatory technologies (RegTech) in Islamic and conventional financial markets and share recommendations in this regard. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research methodology was used to identify the existing challenges. Literature was reviewed and analyzed, and seven experts were interviewed or consulted online and their feedback examined. The judgment of the case B2C2 Ltd v Quoine Pte Ltd. was reviewed. Findings: This study reveals a lack of relevant regulatory frameworks capable of meeting some of the evolving challenges, lack of awareness among market players and lack of expertise in RegTech. The list of additional challenges includes the issue of legacy technology, the weaknesses of human programmers and the need for a multifaceted solution for compliance requirements. Research limitations/implications: This study notes the novelty of RegTech in the financial world, especially in the Islamic financial market. Thus, there is a dearth of relevant literature. This study assists relevant conventional and Islamic financial market entities and authorities in determining the potential impact of RegTech on their respective businesses and the financial system. Practical implications: This study proffers recommendations to assist in addressing the challenges facing its users and paving the way for innovative solutions that will facilitate and enhance the use of RegTech in financial markets. Regulators and other stakeholders of the financial industry will learn from the challenges identified and can review the recommendations for adoption. Apart from that, the decision of B2C2 Ltd v Quoine has practical implications for RegTech users, as the court in B2C2 Ltd v Quoine accessed the "knowledge" of the programmers of deterministic software at the time of the coding. Originality/value: RegTech can offer cost-effective and efficient means to comply with regulations and ensure the accuracy of the information provided to regulators. This study provides a better understanding of the challenges associated with its use. The recommendations include enactment of a blueprint for a digitally enabled regulatory framework, creating awareness of RegTech via stakeholder roundtable discussions, development of human talent, formulating human governance standards and finding innovative ways to manage risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for forest certification and certified forest products in Europe. This trend is related to major worldwide challenges, such as the need to decarbonize the economy and mitigate climate change but also social and consumer demands for wider fair trade. However, whether forest certification influences economic valorization in forestry remains a question. The aim of this study is to analyze forest certification levels across Europe and identify potential relationships between the level of certification in forest areas and relevant economic indicators at country level. This study collected openly available data on total and certified forest areas, economic indicators, and environmental indicators for 28 European countries and explored the correlation between certified forest areas and economic performance in the forestry sector. Findings show that forest certification can significantly improve the economic performance of European forests. It has a more pronounced positive effect on economic incomes than on costs’ reduction. While certification costs do rise with the extent of forest area, they tend to stabilize at larger scales, suggesting that the certification process is economically sustainable and scale is relevant. Czechia and the Netherlands stand out for having the highest net values added related to forest certification, reflecting an effective economic exploration of forest resources. This study offers new perspectives to natural and social scientists, as well as to industry and policy makers, by proving contextualized data to support decision making. Additionally, it provides hints for further studies and policy guidelines on sustainable development and the impact of forest certification schemes.

Through digitalization, online platforms facilitate suppliers to meet market demand with customized offerings, but this business model's value-creation potential is often hampered by market frictions. Consequently, suppliers may avoid exerting effort and so customers may be unwilling to pay a premium. This article develops an analytical model to address market frictions. We identify circumstances where the classic reputation mechanism is insufficient and then propose a new strategy whereby the platform accepts only a subset of suppliers. We demonstrate that this supplier-restriction strategy can support a welfare-enhancing equilibrium and accelerate evolution even if all the suppliers are homogeneous and the customers can costlessly transact with suppliers outside the platform. At equilibrium, suppliers on the platform enjoy a higher market share than those outside and are motivated to exert effort; customers prefer to pay suppliers on the platform a premium and seek outside suppliers only if the former are unavailable. We evaluate platform profitability and social welfare, compare different payment structures, and extend the model to accommodate issues regarding verifiability, imperfect signals, and matching costs. Our work enriches the market frictions–based perspective by showing how it can guide platform design in governing economic exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether auditor market power is associated with audit quality. Regulators around the world have repeatedly expressed concerns about the high levels of supplier concentration, the limited number of audit suppliers in the audit market, and the potential adverse consequences of their (alleged) market power. Using U.S. data from 2009 to 2017, we examine the effect on audit quality of two competing measures of auditor market power: (a) a "traditional" market concentration measure (Herfindahl index) and (b) a competing measure derived from spatial competition theory (i.e., market share distance from the closest competitor). Following Aobdia, we infer audit quality from two measures of financial reporting quality: (a) the level of absolute abnormal accruals, and (b) the incidence of financial statement restatements. Our results indicate that industry market share distance is positively associated with audit quality, but we do not find an association between market concentration and audit quality. In addition, we find that the positive association between market share distance and audit quality only holds when the incumbent auditor is a market leader, although industry leadership itself is not significantly associated with audit quality. These findings suggest that audit quality is positively affected by a market leader's industry market share dominance over its competitors rather than by industry specialization per se. JEL Classification : M4; L0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research aims: This research aims to empirically examine and analyze the effects of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) disclosure on firm performance with market share mediation. Design/Methodology/Approach: The samples covered 38 firms enlisted in the Indonesia Stock Exchange with an observation period of five years. This research used multiple linear regression with the OLS (Ordinary Least Square) method to test the hypotheses. Research findings: The findings unveiled that the CSR disclosure partially improved the firm’s performance and market share. Theoretical contribution/Originality: Based on empirical evidence, the theories of stakeholder and legitimacy suggest that CSR disclosure improves firm performance, and the theories of legitimacy and market-based view advocate that CSR disclosure using market share can improve performance. Practitioner/Policy implication: These research results can be used as references for firms to implement better practices of CSR. Research limitation/Implication: This research is bound to subjectivity due to content analysis, in which the researchers had different understandings and perspectives on the research objects during the disclosure assessment.

Abstract Background China initiated the Medical Alliances (MAs) reform to enhance resource allocation efficiency and ensure equitable healthcare. In response to challenges posed by the predominance of public hospitals, the reform explores public-private partnerships within the MAs. Notably, private hospitals can now participate as either leading or member institutions. This study aims to evaluate the dynamic shifts in market share between public and private hospitals across diverse MAs models. Methods Data spanning April 2017 to March 2019 for Dangyang County’s MA and January 2018 to December 2019 for Qianjiang County’s MA were analyzed. Interrupted periods occurred in April 2018 and January 2019. Using independent sample t-tests, chi-square tests, and interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), we compared the proportion of hospital revenue, the proportion of visits for treatment, and the average hospitalization days of discharged patients between leading public hospitals and leading private hospitals, as well as between member public hospitals and member private hospitals before and after the reform. Results After the MAs reform, the revenue proportion decreased for leading public and private hospitals, while member hospitals saw an increase. However, ITSA revealed a notable rise trend in revenue proportion for leading private hospitals (p