Este trabalho revê e sintetiza os conceitos para definição de competitividade. Identifica os modelos usados para avaliação da competitividade de empresas e países, como também as fontes de competitividade associadas a cada modelo. Traça-se a evolução do conceito de competitividade, incorporando os avanços do conhecimento de diferentes campos do conhecimento e, mais especificamente, áreas da administração ao longo do tempo, que integrados, contribuem para desenvolvimento de abordagens iterdisciplinares mais completas e coerentes para avaliação da competitividade. Um vasto número de variáveis, estruturais, organizacionais e gerenciais vem sendo usado para explicar e avaliar a competitividade das empresas. Dentre essas variáveis, encontram-se os aspectos financeiros das empresas. Observa-se que há uma necessidade de se desenvolver modelos e teorias que combinem as diferentes abordagens de forma que se obtenha uma posição mais completa, e prática, da competitividade das empresas. Este trabalho não ignora, portanto, a necessidade de uma abordagem iterdisciplinar para avaliação de competitividade. Mas concentra-se no estudo de aspectos financeiros e sua inter-relação com outros aspectos da competitividade empresarial e dos países. Busca-se aqui compreender e avaliar a contribuição da teoria de finanças para abordagens mais completas sobre o tema competitividade. O trabalho propõe uma contribuição para o desenvolvimento de um modelo de competitividade financeira de empresas. Essa contribuição preliminar busca uma definição para a competitividade financeira e a identificação de fatores externos (país) e internos a empresa que contribuem para sua competitividade, sob a ótica financeira. / This study reviews and sumarizes the concepts related to competitiveness. It identifies the models used to evaluate the competitiveness of firms and countries, as well as the sources of competitiveness related to each model. The competitiveness concept´s evolution is traced, adding the advances of knowledge from different dields and, more specifically, from Management. Over time, the integration of these pieces of knowledge contributes to the development of more complete and coherent interdisciplinary approaches for the evaluation of competitiveness. A wide range of structural, organization and managerial variables has been used for explaining and evaluating the competitiveness of firms. Among these variables, one can find the firms´ financial aspects. It is oserved that there is a need to develop models and theories that combine the different approaches, in such a way that a more complete and practical definition of firms´competitiveness is obtained. Thus, this study does not neglect the need to have an interdisciplinary approach for the evaluation of competitiveness. Contudo, it focuses on the study of financial aspects and their interrelationship with other aspects of firms ant countries´competitiveness. This study aims to understand and to evaluate the contribution of the financial theory for more complete approaches to the competitiveness subject. This study offers a contribution to the development of a finacial competitiveness model of firm. This initial contribution seeks to a financial competitiveness´definition and to the identification of a firm´s internal and external (country) factors that contribute to its competitiveness, from a financial approach.

Cette thèse étudie l’efficacité technique, la productivité et la compétitivité des principaux pays producteurs de coton. Un premier chapitre décrit la compétitivité internationale de façon générale et les stratégies commerciales pratiquées. Les structures productives en Afrique Subsaharienne sont traitées au deuxième chapitre, car considérées comme les plus faibles. Le secteur du coton étant retenu comme cadre d’étude au troisième chapitre. Une étude économétrique est faite afin de mettre en exergue les déterminants de la performance à l’exportation du coton. Les deux derniers chapitres portent sur l’analyse et la mesure de l’efficacité technique et la productivité globale des facteurs tant théoriques qu’empiriques. La méthode d’enveloppement des données est mise en évidence suivie d’une analyse économétrique. Cette étude est réalisée afin de mettre en place une politique de production efficace et de compétitivité. A cette fin, elle propose un nouveau visage organisationnel en termes d’implications de politiques économiques pour contribuer à revitaliser le secteur cotonnier considéré comme moteur du développement économique en Afrique. / This thesis aims to study the technical efficiency, the productivity and the competitiveness of the main cotton producing countries. In a first chapter, it describes globaly the international competitiveness and the practised commercial strategies. The productive structures in Sub-Saharan Africa are examined in the second chapter, because they are considered as the weakest. The third part deals with the branch of the coton. An econometric study is led in order to highlight the determiners of the performance in the cotton export. The last two chapters concern the analysis and the measurement of the technical efficiency and the global productivity of theoretical and empirical factors. The method of the data envelope is revealed, followed by an econometric analysis. This study is realized to set up a policy of effective production and competitiveness. In this purpose, she proposes a new organizational face in the implication of economic policies to contribute to revitalize the cotton branch, which is considered as a driving element of the economic development in Africa.

This study is an exposition of research into the effect of operational efficiency to global competitiveness, with the Richards Bay Dry Bulk Terminal (DBT) being the case study. The Richards Bay DBT is the main dry bulk terminal in the South African ports, operated by Transnet Ports Terminals (TPT), which is a division of the state-owned Transnet Ltd. Because of the strategic position of the DBT as the main dry bulk terminal of the country and also that it is a state owned entity, its competitiveness or otherwise is a reflection of South Africa the country as a trade destination. The research seeks to investigate the problem of the declining volumes handled by the DBT, which is traced to the possible operational inefficiencies and is likely to impede competitiveness of the DBT. While this study will not propose the ultimate solutions to the DBT’s problems, it will identify the root causes and symptoms of the problems, which will ultimately guide what needs to be tested as a better solution. Based on this, it is argued that this topic should generate a lot of interest to the stakeholders both locally and internationally.

The study examines the importance of competitive advantage and change in a dynamic environment. The purpose of the study is to explore how AAI could remain relevant and competitive in the market and examines how regularly changing its approaches to programme delivery could be used to meet needs of the community. The study also focused on the impact of AAI’s pace of change and how the pace impacted on the organization’s effectiveness and quality of programmed delivery. AAI relied on its past successful programmes to address the need of communities in many new countries. However, previously successful programmes did not prove popular when rolled in new markets. AAI programmes are suffering substantial withdrawals from beneficiaries. Beneficiaries are withdrawing from AAI programmes, complaining that the programme delivery approaches were not competitive and innovative. Many new organizations being formed are competing not just for beneficiary markets, but for financial resources (funding), skills and new ideas of delivering programmes. Traditional government type donors are being overtaken by a new crop of donors that is in favour of funding competitive and innovative organizations. Traditional aid organizations are losing market share to smaller agencies. The organizational structure of AAI appears not to support effective and efficient delivery of programmes. With no senior manager at the helm of the department, coordinating activities, sustaining competitive advantage and managing change within the programme department remained a challenge for the organization. A frastruated staff compliments exacerbated the situation. Employee turnover at the key and tactical levels resulted in the department operating without adequate staff and key personnel. This made coordination and cooperation amongst units very difficult. Various programme units operated in silos and mixed messages were sent to community resulting in the community being unhappy with AAI. Community felt that AAI did not consult with them when deciding on how to meet their needs. Community members felt that AAI was taking unilateral decisions and did not care about their feedback and the quality of the programmes delivered. This study further examines how AAI has suffered due to its inability to respond to the needs of community and its failure to adapt to the changing business environment. It reveals how innovation and adaptability is critical for retaining competitive advantage. It reveals how capabilities once built can be eroded by competition through copying. It concludes by revealing the importance of dynamic capabilities in sustaining competitive advantage as well as the need to change in response to the market. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / (M.B.A.)

A questão ambiental se insere na mudança profunda em andamento na sociedade. Nessa trajetória, a lógica de maximização do lucro empresarial está sendo questionada quanto à obtenção de outros objetivos e da sua razão social, como a proteção do meio ambiente. Esta dissertação estuda a influência da gestão ambiental no sucesso e competitividade empresarial, investigando o grau de correlação e os fatores que a modificam. Para tanto, foram analisados os autores que estudaram estas correlações na literatura, utilizando-se ainda estudos, relatórios e dados existentes sobre o tema. Foram identificados os indicadores de sucesso empresarial e as estratégias competitivas consagradas na literatura, assim como as variáveis e ferramentas ambientais relevantes ao sucesso empresarial. Foi concluído que, de modo geral, o investimento em meio ambiente contribui para aumentar o sucesso empresarial e a vantagem competitiva, com resultados tangíveis (p.ex. eficiência operacional) e intangíveis (p.ex. valor de marca e reputação). No entanto, a força da influência depende de uma série de fatores, dentre os quais se destaca o tipo de processos-produtos-setores envolvidos e seus impactos ambientais, além do grau de preocupação e conscientização ambiental das partes interessadas. Verificou-se que a gestão ambiental afeta mais positivamente o sucesso empresarial na proporção do grau de integração entre seus objetivos e ferramentas, sendo que uma visão de sustentabilidade contribui neste sentido. Com relação às ferramentas da gestão ambiental, evidenciou-se que a produção mais limpa apresenta grandes oportunidades de redução de custos, devendo, porém, ser previamente avaliadas quanto à sua relação custo-benefício. Evidenciou-se, ainda, que a implementação e certificação dos sistemas de gestão ambiental, de acordo com a Norma ISO 14001, apresentam vários benefícios competitivos, dentre os quais se destacam as reduções de custos pela redução da poluição e consumo de materiais; o atendimento de critérios de clientes e investidores; melhoria da gestão global e auxilio a melhoria da imagem (condicionada à existência de outros fatores). Ao final, foi sugerida uma ferramenta para avaliação ambiental estratégica que permite a integração com os indicadores de sucesso e estratégias empresariais. Esta ferramenta foi testada em uma aplicação setorial para os fabricantes de veículos automotores. / Environmental subject is inside the deep change going on society. In this way, maximizing company profit logic is being questioned about looking for others company's objectives, including environmental protection. This work studies the environmental management influence over firm success and competitiveness, looking for its degree and the drivers that change it. It analyzed the authors that studied these relations, using existing studies, reports and data on this subject. It identified known literature of company's success indicators and competitive strategies, as such as relevant environmental drivers and tools for firm success. It concludes that, in general, investments on environmental protection have positive impact on company success and competitiveness, with tangible (e.g. operational efficiency) and intangible (e.g. brand and reputation value) results. However, influence degree depends on factors such as process-products-sectors types and its environmental impacts; and stakeholders' environmental concerns and awareness. Environmental management affects business success more positively as its objectives and tools integration degree raise, within a sustainability vision and framework. Among used environmental tools, clean production presents big cost reductions opportunities, but projects might be previously analyzed form the cost-benefit perspective. It concludes that environmental management systems implementation and certification according ISO 14001 standard brings competitive benefits such as cost reduction by pollution and resources consumption reduction; meeting clients and investors requirements; internal management improvement; and helping image improvement (conditioned to the existence of other drivers). At the end, it was suggested a strategic environmental evaluation tool, that allows for the integration with business success and strategies. This tool was tested at automakers industry.

The aim of this work is a practical confirmation of a hypothesis that IT and ICT tools are a source of competitive advantages and increase the competitiveness of small businesses. After establishing the theoretical framework for my thesis, I focus on a definition and suppliers of ICT tools in the Czech market. In the practical part of the work I underwent a detailed research and analysis of five major and frequent communication situations in the surveillance organisation. This research was made before the implementation of ICT tools and then after their subsequent integration into the organisation. Outputs of my observations are further subjected to a comparison with respect to competitiveness, efficiency and cost. The obtained results support the initial argument of positive impact of ICT tools even if used in small businesses.

Este trabalho revê e sintetiza os conceitos para definição de competitividade. Identifica os modelos usados para avaliação da competitividade de empresas e países, como também as fontes de competitividade associadas a cada modelo. Traça-se a evolução do conceito de competitividade, incorporando os avanços do conhecimento de diferentes campos do conhecimento e, mais especificamente, áreas da administração ao longo do tempo, que integrados, contribuem para desenvolvimento de abordagens iterdisciplinares mais completas e coerentes para avaliação da competitividade. Um vasto número de variáveis, estruturais, organizacionais e gerenciais vem sendo usado para explicar e avaliar a competitividade das empresas. Dentre essas variáveis, encontram-se os aspectos financeiros das empresas. Observa-se que há uma necessidade de se desenvolver modelos e teorias que combinem as diferentes abordagens de forma que se obtenha uma posição mais completa, e prática, da competitividade das empresas. Este trabalho não ignora, portanto, a necessidade de uma abordagem iterdisciplinar para avaliação de competitividade. Mas concentra-se no estudo de aspectos financeiros e sua inter-relação com outros aspectos da competitividade empresarial e dos países. Busca-se aqui compreender e avaliar a contribuição da teoria de finanças para abordagens mais completas sobre o tema competitividade. O trabalho propõe uma contribuição para o desenvolvimento de um modelo de competitividade financeira de empresas. Essa contribuição preliminar busca uma definição para a competitividade financeira e a identificação de fatores externos (país) e internos a empresa que contribuem para sua competitividade, sob a ótica financeira. / This study reviews and sumarizes the concepts related to competitiveness. It identifies the models used to evaluate the competitiveness of firms and countries, as well as the sources of competitiveness related to each model. The competitiveness concept´s evolution is traced, adding the advances of knowledge from different dields and, more specifically, from Management. Over time, the integration of these pieces of knowledge contributes to the development of more complete and coherent interdisciplinary approaches for the evaluation of competitiveness. A wide range of structural, organization and managerial variables has been used for explaining and evaluating the competitiveness of firms. Among these variables, one can find the firms´ financial aspects. It is oserved that there is a need to develop models and theories that combine the different approaches, in such a way that a more complete and practical definition of firms´competitiveness is obtained. Thus, this study does not neglect the need to have an interdisciplinary approach for the evaluation of competitiveness. Contudo, it focuses on the study of financial aspects and their interrelationship with other aspects of firms ant countries´competitiveness. This study aims to understand and to evaluate the contribution of the financial theory for more complete approaches to the competitiveness subject. This study offers a contribution to the development of a finacial competitiveness model of firm. This initial contribution seeks to a financial competitiveness´definition and to the identification of a firm´s internal and external (country) factors that contribute to its competitiveness, from a financial approach.

Esta investigación tiene como finalidad la Propuesta de un plan de mejora de la competitividad para el logro de las metas comerciales del gimnasio Poli Gym. Considerando que las personas que cuidan su salud principalmente realizan una actividad física adecuada a través de la práctica de algún deporte en especial o algún tipo de ejercicio. This research has the purpose of proposing a plan to improve competitiveness to achieve the commercial goals of the Gym Poli Gym. Considering that the people who take care of their health mainly carry out an appropriate physical activity through the practice of a special sport or some type of exercise.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the influence of cross-border cooperation on the competitiveness of border regions, here Franco-German. For this purpose, the study focuses on two European integration models located on the eastern part of France on the border with Germany: Euroregion TriRhena and Eurodis-trict Pamina. The influence of cross-border cooperation on the competitiveness of Euroregions and Eurodistricts is analyzed through the presentation and evalua-tion of the organization, objectives, areas of competences as well as through the actions and funding of these organizations. The activities and the results of the two chosen examples are compared with respect to beneficial and unfavorable outcomes that may result, revealing also the development opportunities provided by each structure. After presentation of the theoretical context, different forms of cross-border cooperation and the European framework recommended for the integration models are outlined. Finally, discussions around the concept of com-petitiveness are reported. In a second part, the methodological approach includ-ing the choice of the case studies, the data collected and the analysis criteria, is outlined. In a third part, results are compared, evaluated and discussed in order to answer the research question: Does cross-border cooperation improve the competitiveness of Euroregions and Eurodistricts?

The New Zealand hotel industry: the role of image as a medium influencing company's competitiveness and customer loyalty towards brand.This thesis evolves around image and its significance while developing customers' loyalty and increasing company's competitiveness in a highly competitive market. The topic is studied in-depth from the organisational perspective and delves into the differing motivations of hotel operators towards shaping favourable image as well as examining how the hotel's image affects customer loyalty and helps the company to increase its competitiveness. Finally, it analyses and compares which public relations tools are the most effective in the process of image creation and developing customer loyalty. From this perspective image becomes a central issue impacting company's future growth, performance and finally success.The research was conducted on the Auckland international hotel chains. Auckland hosts numerous conferences and events that drives demand for accommodation and in a way, creates a conducive environment to hotel operators for future expansion. Thus, hotels compete strongly with one another constantly looking for a competitive advantage by growing their customer base. My thesis outlines the hotels' management efforts and analyses their strategies in the context of changing customers' demands and market trends.With respect to methodological issues, my thesis is based on a qualitative approach and follows an interpretivist paradigm. The research background has been delineated as have been my respondents' profile to provide additional information about the organisation they represent. The research findings described at the end of this thesis document how important image is for a modern hotel and what initiatives should be followed to ensure success.Image and loyalty are closely interrelated as positive image affects customers' loyalty. In order to achieve a balance between sustaining a competitive advantage and increasing loyal customer base a number of managerial implications have been discovered. Detailed analysis of these findings may help the companies to establish a more favourable position in the global market and create mutually beneficial relationships which further help the organisation to grow.Having aimed at exploring the importance of image as a medium that affects company's competitiveness and customers' loyalty towards brand, this study has provided some useful indications for hotel companies as to what should be undertaken to gain loyal customers and improve company's performance on the market.