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Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies.

Yes / Blockchain has enormous capabilities to transform traditional business models in countless ways. Banks in India are building collaborative blockchain ecosystems to create an innovative business model and disrupt the traditional one to create more competitive advantage. This study’s purpose was to examine the relationship between blockchain capabilities (BCC), competitive advantage (CA), and organizational performance (OP), as well as evaluate CA’s mediating role in the relationship between BCC and OP. In this context, a scientific research model, including a hypothesis, has been developed from extant literature. The proposed model was tested using statistical data collected from blockchain specialists, blockchain product marketing managers, experts in future and emergent technology, and banking, finance, and tech managers or executives who are involved in planning and deploying practical blockchain in the financial sector. Data were analyzed and tested using AMOS 22.0 and a process macro using a sample comprising 289 responses. Our empirical results indicated a significant positive relationship between BCC, CA, and OP, as well as a relationship between BCC and OP, partially mediated by CA. This paper took an original approach and contributes to the literature on this subject to understand CA’s mediating role in the relationship between BCC and OP in the Indian banking sector.

Abstract Prepainted steel is a new material developed after the year of 1960. It owns mainly advantages accompanied with corrosion resistance, long-life using, beautiful color and shape, easy utilization, and also keep the original strength of the steel. All these characteristics make it appropriate to be used on the wall, roof, and decoration of gym or any big construction and buildings. It can also be seen in the field of vehicles, many electrical appliances, computer shells, etc. Prepainted steel is the downstream product of steel enterprises. It comes manly from Galvanized steel coils, and a little portion of it from cold-rolled steel coils. There are now seven production companies in Taiwan at the annual production of 1.17 million tons. According to statistics, the local consumption of last year is 310,000 tons. It is fortunate that Mainland China has a mass need for it during these years. In 2002, Mainland china imported 1.02 million tons, and in 2003, 1.54 million tons. We need huge export to digest our production. My study case is an medium enterprise with the annual production 300,000 tons of prepainted steel, and without the production line of Galvanized steel with which prepainted steel can be done. This study mainly discusses how an enterprise construct its own competitive advantage and strategy through the outside environment analysis and management ability, then make the best choice of stragtegy which is appropriate to its business model before evaluating the strategy efficiency by theory. The first chapter is about its background and motive of the study, and contents and limits of the study are also included. The second chapter, from the theory basis of documents, try to understand the definition and relative meaning of following issues: vertical integration, strategic alliance, resources leveling and value chains¡Ketc. The third chapter of this study is about the marketing supply and demand situation of prepainted steel local and abroad, and it talks about on what kind of location that prepainted steel enterprise stands. This chapter also goes further introducing these important enterprises in Taiwan which earns prepainted steel, and make an analysis on enterprise environment and five forces analysis. The fourth chapter has an introduction of this study case and its cooperators and opponents. Moreover, a SWOT analysis of this study case is offered. Futher, there has a discussion on its strategy on competitive advantage ¡V strategic alliance, resources leveling,, value chains, vertical integration, business field¡Ketc. And a proof on the basic of the strategy and an evaluation on these strategic efficiency are made. At last, there will be a deep thinking on fast-changing environment and future strategies. We hope the ending can be used for the reference of this enterprise.

Research Questions: How can firms implement the phenomena of collaborative consumption in their value chain and promote sustainability as a core value to gain international competitive advantage? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to identify how a firm can successfully implement the concept of collaborative consumption into their value chain and how to promote sustainability to gain international competitive advantage. To gain deeper understanding of collaborative consumption, sustainability branding, value chain and international competitive advantage, the different terms will be examined. Method: This thesis uses a qualitative method with a deductive approach. In order to gather empirical data, semi structured interviews has been conducted. Conclusions: By implementing collaborative consumption as a value adding service or in cooperation with other companies, firms can promote sustainability as core value and gain international competitive advantage. Thus, by implementing collaborative consumption and promote sustainability firms will be cool in the big pool.

The use of information technology (IT) is becoming an essential component within the commercial sector. While large number of companies have adopted IT applications to achieve competitive advantage, and number of studies have been done on competitive advantage through an IT application, it is not clear what the impact of an IT application on competitive advantage is. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an IT application on competitive advantage and how to create and sustain competitive advantage through an IT application. For that purpose, this study adopted Sethi and King's (1994) instrumental tool, while the theory of resource based view of the firm (RBV) was the theoretical underpinning for the investigation of how to create and sustain competitive advantage through an IT application. In other words, this study examined how an IT application impacts the seven dimensions which are attributes of competitive advantage through an IT application, and how a firm's resources and capabilities, which are measured in three dimensions. moderate the impact of an IT application on competitive advantage. The three dimensions were identified from the review of literature concerning on the theory of RBV. / Ph. D.

No / According to annual reports of European and North American ski resort corporations, winter sports destinations are facing stagnating markets and at the same time challenges in the management of environmentally sensitive mountainous areas and villages. The survival and development of winter sports destinations are to a large extent centred around strategies for creating competitive advantage and at the same time meeting the criteria of sustainable tourism laid down by the WTO. In this paper, performance on these two dimensions is combined into the concept of strategic performance. Sustained value creation is suggested as a goal of strategic performance in winter sports destinations.Two new models related to the strategic analysis of winter sports destinations are developed. The first is a suggested configuration of value creation in winter sports destinations¿the ¿value fan¿¿and the second is a conceptual organisational model providing a framework for analysis at strategic level of such destinations. The models have emerged from examining the central body of literature in the field of strategic management. Development of the models is part of ongoing research into what kind of organisational structure of winter sports destinations will lead to superior performance in terms of strategic success. Here the concepts of the ¿community model¿ and the ¿corporate model¿ of destination management are introduced.

The study is a retrospective and summarized the related subjected and jounals of corelations.The accumulated materials and subjects let us understanding the present trend of the bussiness,the strategy,tendency and point of profit that attracts.This study also let us have a view of how International Bussiness Machine(IBM) becomes a leading star in the field of electronic technology bussiness.This study including the analysis of organizatin,porduct,diferent of market,the strategy of market,the service and inventive value.In essentials,the 5 points of successful elements is(1)the high value of bussiness culture,(2)attrative salary and benefits,(3)efficient leadership,(4)invention,(5)decrease the fixed consumtions and costs.The author also want to present the difference between the past and present change in this area of competitions and maturation of the markets.Either the red ocean strategy of market percentage increase or the mainly inventive leading of blue ocean strategy,the leading man should have a view of complete understanding of the changing markets and opportunity at the changing moments.We all know even excellent company will lose to 2nd on time by other competitor.Ultimately,the one who invented the strategy of blue ocean that make up a strong profitable revenue is in commonplace that need our further study.The author of this article want to make dicussions on the competitive invention and new strategy that make the electronic technology a pace ahead the others and make it the out-standing business of the others.

Att vara lönsam är en förutsättning för företags långsiktiga överlevnad. Samtidigt blir det generellt sett allt hårdare konkurrens och antalet konkurrenter ökar ständigt. Företag behöver således hitta sätt för att kunna fortsätta vara konkurrenskraftiga på marknaden. Enligt resursbaserad teori kan företag inneha eller skapa resurser inom sin verksamhet som kan leda till varaktiga konkurrensfördelar, och som följaktligen är viktiga att identifiera och utnyttja på bästa sätt. En tillfällig konkurrensfördel anses vara värdefull, ovanlig samt icke utbytbar. För att resursen ska kunna anses vara varaktig ska den inte heller gå att imitera av konkurrenter. I denna rapport ligger fokus på hur företag inom dagligvaruhandeln försöker skapa varaktiga konkurrensfördelar genom arbetet med miljövänliga förpackningar. Miljövänliga förpackningar utgör en betydande del av branschens miljöpåverkan då dessa kännetecknas av hög omsättning och snabb förbrukning. Idag utgör egna varumärken allt större del av omsättningen bland företagen. Dessa varumärken har företagen självklart en betydande möjlighet att påverka, bland annat produktens egenskaper och inte minst dess förpackning. Denna studie bygger på intervjuer med respondenter från tre företag inom dagligvaruhandeln med varierande marknadsandelar. Studien visar att företagen arbetar med miljövänlig förpackningsutveckling på många sätt. Rapporten redogör för hur företagen arbetar för att effektivisera förpackningskedjan, utveckla förpackningar som minskar matsvinn samt hur samarbeten mellan förpackningskedjans användare ser ut och dess betydelse. Det diskuteras även huruvida åtgärderna syftar till att utveckla varaktiga konkurrensfördelar eller ej. Det beskrivs även hur företagen kommunicerar sitt arbete med miljövänliga förpackningar samt hur de strävar efter att utveckla förpackningsinnovationer.

Competitiveness and gaining a sustainable competitive advantage are very important factors when analysing the success of companies involved in the aviation industry in South Africa. The success of these companies will depend on their ability to maintain technological capabilities in the areas of human resources and product development. Global aviation currently is concentrated in a few countries, with the USA being the largest contributor to an industry which is regarded as one of the fastest globalizing industries in terms of market structure and production systems. In South Africa, companies have managed to develop skills in aviation manufacturing. The opportunities that will be created, owing to changes in global production chains, will enable South African companies to establish themselves further as global suppliers. The aviation industry contains high risks, especially because it is considered to be the industry which acts as a driver for innovation. Complexity of production, the capital-intensive nature and high risks involved in developing new products and services have linked the industry to inevitable political influence and support. The industry can broadly be divided into two main sectors: military and commercial. Analysts predict that opportunities in the global aviation markets in future will increase considerably. This is attributed to more Asian, African and Latin-American regions capitalizing on opportunities that exist mainly within the commercial sector. They will form strategic alliances which will enable them to perform on low-cost platforms and offer exceptional services to major players in the aviation sector. To capitalize on these opportunities, companies need to analyse their external and internal environment. The main objective of this study is to analyse and to evaluate the competitive environment of a selected aviation company, to ensure that the best strategy is chosen and adopted and to confirm that the company can create and sustain a competitive advantage over competitors. The planning tools utilized in this study are the PEST and SWOT analyses. Both have been used in the strategic planning process of many other firms. These analyses have proved to be the key element needed to formulate an action plan to be and to stay competitive in the aviation industry. This study evaluates both of these planning tools and applies them to the company chosen for this case study. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014