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In recent decades, a growing interest in the micro and meso economic foundations of competitiveness has emerged worldwide. Many authors have seek to explain this phenomenon using approaches that rely on endogenous and relational capabilities of firms. Relational capabilities are exercised in contact with other agents and allow knowledge that circulate among networks to be properly exploited. This paper analyzes this type of entrepreneurial skills and the links that exist between software companies in the city of Bahía Blanca. The method used to study this phenomenon is social network analysis or SNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the behavior and evaluates the competitiveness factors in the province of Villa Clara, supporting the analysis methodology Diamond Porter (1990), the expert method and the study of theoretical and conceptual foundations of competitiveness. The discussion of the results showed the existence of economic, political and social rights that need to be managed in order to contribute to the increased competitiveness in the country through the development of projects, mainly in the productive sectors and in particular in the traditional products and the sugar industry, with the aim of rescuing. Another sector that also contributes to the increase of competitiveness in the territory is the tourism industry, focusing on the territory that the multiplier effect, to enhance the linkage with other sectors, and strengthening the local production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A conceptual and theoretical approach is being made in this paper of a tacit dynamic ability being currently dealt with in scientiic literature on the subject of resources and capabilities which have not so far been looked into with due thoroughness: The responsiveness, the ability to face up to opportunities, threats and crises having an exogenous origin. This capability is essential in a competitive world such as today's and, above all, in those countries working within an open economy setting. A survey is thus being conducted in this paper of the particular capabilities making up this ability, such as the setting-addressed surveillance, the way how reactions are being designed and applied. Further on, this paper includes two examples showing the way how some Colombian companies are managing such a capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market has required of the organizations, efficiency, effectiveness, creativity and agility, to be competitive and have their strategies aimed at the sustainability of business defined. In this context, logistics emerges as one of the important links in corporate strategies. However, in prior reading about this topic, there is a lack in the literature about the organization and evaluation of internal logistics. Looking to fill this gap, this paper aims to identify the importance of evaluating internal logistics, identifying its component parts and how they are structured and measured, based on the literature and answers of experts in this field. The degree of importance of these parts will be evaluated by three companies, using a Likert scale. The identification of the component parts of the internal logistics, the weights of the priorities of these parts, and its performance index are showed, which enable the companies to improve their competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analize four competitiveness indices for Mexican federative entities produced by two local higher educational institutions and two local agencies. The results indicate that while these studies require indicators to continuously improve their quality and explanatory power, these changes are greater compared to the main international competitiveness indices. Relevance and reliability for the economic planning will be greater for decision makers, policy makers and individuals concerned as usefulness and benchmarks in the design and monitoring of local public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business competitiveness has long been a subject of study and debate in the economic literature, which has pointed to various drivers of business development. Drawing on the Industrial Economics, the New Industrial Economics, and the Theory of Resources and Capabilities approaches, this paper sets forth a panel data econometric model with 2 671 Mexican micro-enterprises over four time periods, detailing the relationship between the competitive advantages of micro-enterprises and external and internal factors, such as the sectoral structure and the tangible and intangible assets of the economic unit. The principal results obtained suggest that the synergies needed for the development of the small-scale productive sector are primarily generated by way of intangible capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metalwork SMES of Olavarría city contribute to economic development of the region but they are deficient in terms of productivity, competitiveness and management. According to this, it is necessary to intensify the study of its activities and resources to improve their current situation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper to explore tangible and intangible resource availability and the way in which they are managed. The study of the activities and the use of associated resources are connected to the value chain, completing the process with resource-based approach. Data were collected by applying a tool that explores the characteristics and use of resources related to primary and support activities. The tangible and intangible resources are independent research variables and the dependent variables are the primary and support activities. Then, the diagnosis is extended through a second instrument, which defines the level of maturity in terms of competitiveness. Results obtained indicated that primary activities have degree development values ranging from 49 to 72% and from 55 to 67% for support. Furthermore, all activities show an average maturity value associated with level 2 (out of four), because of the inefficient use of resources. In conclusion these companies have tangible and intangible resources, but these are not used efficiently to perform their activities in order to achieve a competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies face demands of competitiveness like quality, diversification and innovation. Large companies are more prepared to compete, having an innovation culture and creating constant awareness. However, the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face innovation barriers, which limit their capability to compete, and growth. This paper analyzes the relationship between the innovation barriers and the capability to be competitive and grow of SMEs. For this purpose, we took a sample of 152 SMEs in the manufacturing sector of the State of Aguascal¡entes (Mexico) to analyze the performed correlation between those variables, making use of a quantitative study. The results show empirical evidence about the influence of the innovation barriers with competitiveness and growth of the SMEs studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cuban economic system reforms and structural changes, functional and organizational, that are undertaken throughout the enterprise system, make their institutions to be prepared to achieve the objective of continuing its development mission. In this context, the enterprise object of study should seek new markets and introduce new services, to maintain its leadership and competitiveness. This paper analyzes the company's internal preparation to assume a high national demand service, for it is used as a diagnostic tool, the Balanced Scorecard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish social economy enterprises (SEE), like capital-based ones, have been facing a general economic crisis since 2008. SEE in the Murcia region are no exception. They are mainly small and mediumsized companies and because of their lack of size and structure they face considerable competitive difficulties in fighting this situation. This paper is based on a survey of 102 social economy enterprises in the Murcia Region, essentially labour companies and cooperatives in the service and industrial sectors, which was conducted in early 2010. To examine the situation in which companies from these sectors - mostly micro-enterprises - find themselves, information was collected on their main ratios in 2009, their expectations and their assessment of the competitive context and the main difficulties they face in the current situation of economic and social crisis. The extensive questionnaire made it possible to classify these enterprises into four types, based on the evolution of their main economic ratios (jobs, sales, investment and profits), and in a second stage, to consider the relation with whether or not the companies had adopted active innovation strategies and strategic planning. This made it possible to define the companies that had been able to improve or at least maintain the levels of their principal ratios even in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology to determine the level of competitiveness of SMEs by identifying areas where the level is the same, considering both internal and external criteria. The method followed in the review of the literature on business competitiveness as well as empirical studies have attempted to measure the same, in order to identify the indicators to be used in the proposed methodology. The result of chis work, allows for easy implementation methodology based on the MAP of Competitiveness iDB includes factors such as strategic planning, production and operations, quality, marketing, accounting and finance, human resources, management and environmental information systems, and supplemented with external indicators based on the systemic competitiveness approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the relationship between technological capabilities and firm performance. To achieve this objective, firstly, it is proposed a typology of technological capabilities and, secondly, it is defined a model where different technological strategies and industry structure are both taken into account. The empirical test was developed in the Spanish biotechnology industry. Results show that not all technological capabilities have the same effects on firm performance, as the strategic potential of such capabilities notably depends on competitive conditions. These results justify that certain traditional evaluation criteria for resources and capabilities can be criticized, and the need of contingent views to analyze the role of technological knowledge in firm success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization and advances in information technology are stepping up competition between companies, making it increasingly necessary for them to stand out from their competitors. Intangible assets such as brands, patents, public utilities and intellectual capital, for example, are singular assets, whose uniqueness allows companies to differentiate themselves from others and gain competitive advantages. In this context, innumerous authors have asserted that the generation of wealth in companies is directly related to intangible assets, as these assets are responsible for better economic performance and the generation of above-average profits. The higher presence of intangible assets not accounted for on paper can also explain the gap between the market value of a company and the value reflected in traditional accounting. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the presence of unrecorded intangible assets on the performance of companies, statistically verifying whether these assets can really generate greater value for shareholders. The results obtained from hundreds of companies in the United States are significant and show that there are important differences in performance between intangible-intensive and tangible-intensive companies. Accounting thus needs to make an effort to register these strategic assets and develop a means of reflecting them, if necessary re-adjusting its principles, conventions, norms and practices in such a way that essence take prevalence over form, because even subjectivity and the consequent difficulty in measuring intangible assets cannot stand as an obstacle to this process of evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of competitiveness advantages by companies is something vital for their survival and success. With this paper we try to know which factors explain the competitive success of SMEs, using a sample of 1.201 Spanish enterprises that develop their activity in the industrial sector. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this paper is to show the environmental situation of Spanish certified productive centres, as well as the effects it produces on certain indicators of business competitiveness and, especially, manufacturing performance indicators. Spanish certified productive centres do not seem to have gone beyond, in general, that threshold of strategic orientation (especially in manufacturing strategy) of environmental actions, perhaps because the facilities are older. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper introduces the notion of competition in business models, presents the concept of virtuous cycle, and illustrates how a well-crafted business model generates superior long-run returns. Looking at strategy formulation from the point of view of business models offers new insights on fundamental strategy issues such as the threats to sustainability of competitive advantage and the [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]