[pt] O objetivo desta pesquisa é compreender a dinâmica competitiva no setor elétrico brasileiro, especificamente no segmento de distribuição de energia elétrica. Buscaremos compreender como as empresas se posicionaram em seu ambiente competitivo, por meio da identificação de suas estratégias genéricas realizadas, e inferir quais destas estratégias apresentaram melhor desempenho. Esta análise foi feita tendo como base a tipologia de estratégias genéricas de Michael Porter, formando 5 grupos estratégicos. Para isto, selecionamos uma amostra de 45 distribuidoras de energia elétrica, das quais foram analisados detalhadamente, utilizando ferramentas de análise multivariada, o posicionamento estratégico e o desempenho no período de 2002 a 2004. Concluímos que a estratégia genérica de diferenciação é a que apresentou o melhor desempenho e confirmamos a hipótese de Porter que as empresas stuck in the middle apresentam o pior desempenho. / [en] The aim of this research is to understand the competitive dynamics on the Brazilian power sector, focusing on the distribution segment. We will try to understand how distribution companies have positioned themselves on their competitive environment, by the identification of their generic strategies and analyzing which of these strategies yielded a better performance. This study was carried out utilizing Michael Porter´s generic strategies typology, used to form five strategic groups. Our sample consists of 45 power distribution companies, which we thoroughly analyzed their strategic positioning and perfomance for the years 2002 to 2004, using multivariate analysis tools. We have concluded that the generic strategy of differentiation is the one that yielded the best performance and confirmed Porter hypothesis that firms that are stuck in the middle have the worst performance.

Ο σκοπός της παρούσης εργασίας είναι η ανάλυση της φαρμακευτικής βιομηχανίας (λόγω της πολυπλοκότητας του χώρου) με βάση το μοντέλο του Porter (το πιο κοινώς αποδεκτό μοντέλο για την ανάλυση μιας βιομηχανίας), μοντέλο 5 δυνάμεων που ορίζουν τον ανταγωνισμό στη βιομηχανία. Ο κλάδος της φαρμακευτικής βιομηχανίας είναι ένας από τους σημαντικότερους υποκλάδους της χημικής βιομηχανίας, και αποτελεί ένα ζωτικό και υποστηρικτικό παράγοντα της απασχόλησης και της ανάπτυξης της Εθνικής Οικονομίας, ειδικά για μια χώρα σαν την Ελλάδα που δε διαθέτει βαριά βιομηχανία. Επιπλέον η Ελληνική φαρμακευτική βιομηχανία λειτουργεί σ’ ένα πολυσύνθετο και ασταθές περιβάλλον, το οποίο δέχεται πολλές πιέσεις από την ίδια την αγορά και διάφορους παράγοντες που τη διέπουν. Δεδομένης λοιπόν της σημαντικότητας αυτού του κλάδου για τη χώρα μας, και τις ραγδαίες αλλαγές που τον χαρακτηρίζουν την τελευταία περίοδο, η φαρμακευτική βιομηχανία θ’ αποτελέσει αντικείμενο μελέτης της συγκεκριμένης εργασίας. Σύμφωνα με το Michael Porter, μια αυθεντία στη στρατηγική ανταγωνισμού, η επιτυχία μιας επιχείρησης, η οποία είναι η συνεχής αύξηση της κερδοφορίας, καθορίζεται από 5 βασικές δυνάμεις ανταγωνισμού: απειλή νέων εισόδων, ανταγωνισμός μεταξύ των υπαρχόντων επιχειρήσεων, απειλή των υποκατάστατων προïόντων ή υπηρεσιών, διαπραγματευτική δύναμη αγοραστών, και διαπραγματευτική δύναμη προμηθευτών. Με βάση τις 5 δυνάμεις ανταγωνισμού κατά Porter, που διέπουν τον κλάδο της φαρμακευτικής βιομηχανίας θα γίνει μια προσπάθεια να εξεταστούν οι αλλαγές που καθορίζονται από αυτές, και να γίνει μια πρώτη προσέγγιση σχετικά με το μέλλον της βιομηχανίας στην Ελλάδα και τις τάσεις της αγοράς. Πιο συγκεκριμένα ο σκοπός είναι η εξέταση της φαρμακευτικής αγοράς από όσο πιο πολλά σημεία αναφοράς γίνεται και μ’ αυτή τη λογική ως προμηθευτές (Suppliers) θεωρούνται οι φαρμακευτικές εταιρείες και ως αγοραστές (Buyers) όλες οι οντότητες επιλογής, πληρωμής και κατανάλωσης των προïόντων. Να σημειωθεί ότι τέτοιου είδους ανάλυση δεν έχει πραγματοποιηθεί για την ελληνική πραγματικότητα, κάτι που αποτέλεσε ένα ακόμη κίνητρο για την πραγματοποίηση αυτής της εργασίας. / -

This investigation of Miss Porter's short fiction demonstrates that reality and revelation are predominant ideas in most of her writing. Reality for most of the characters differs from reality as the protagonist eventually perceives it. Through revelation of delusions-- both his own and others'--the protagonist may better deal with life's difficulties. These difficulties are represented, as secondary themes in the stores, by three repeated human experiences: initiation, subjugation, and alienation. Subsequent chapters of this investigation explore reality and revelation in relation to each secondary theme. Discussion follows the development of increasing extremity in one's difficulties in life, from the initiatory childhood encounters with human nature and society, to the subjugating troubles incurred through continuing maturity, to alienation and the encounter of death's possibility and actuality.

A basin analysis of the Oligocene Porter Group rocks in Castle Hill Basin, Canterbury, was completed. The Porter Group contains the Coleridge Formation which comprises a lower sandstone unit and an upper micritic limestone unit, and the Thomas Formation which consists of biosparite limestone and interbedded tuffs. Basin analysis provided evidence that the Coleridge Formation lower sandstone unit was deposited in an inner shelf setting based upon its moderate sorting, large grain size range, laterally continuous geometry and lack of bedforms due to intense bioturbation. The upper micritic limestone is a mid shelf deposit composed of micrite and minor clastic grains. Provenance analysis has classified the lower sandstone unit as a quartz arenite. Both metamorphic and plutonic source areas are likely for the sandstone, along with reworked grains from underlying Formations based on QFL, SEM-CL, heavy mineral and glauconite analysis. The Thomas Formation limestone is a typical New Zealand cool water biosparite deposited on the inner shelf as a result of storms and debris flows, with the upper cross-bedded limestone lithofacies being reworked by currents in shallow water. Petrographic data showing multiple stages of diagenesis at the upper contact of the Thomas Formation provides evidence for a major tectonic event. The interbedded tuffs are a result of basaltic marine volcanism on the inner to mid shelf. The tuffs are reworked and deposited by turbidity current, debris flow and storms. Analysis of a dike within the Thomas Formation volcanics showed a weakly alkaline geochemical signature that is indicative of volcanism related to extension. A regional synthesis compared the Porter Group rocks in Castle Hill Basin with Oligocene rocks in North Canterbury, West Coast and North Otago. Oligocene quartz-rich sandstones are found in Castle Hill Basin, Harper Valley, Avoca and Culverden while micritic limestone is found on the East Coast from Marlborough to Otago. Oligocene basaltic volcanics interbedded with limestone and karst unconformities are found in Castle Hill Basin, Culverden and Otago. Normal faulting may be responsible for thickness variations and several regional karst unconformities in the eastern South Island. Plate reconstructions based on sea floor magnetic anomalies also suggests the New Zealand region was tectonically active during the Oligocene. Mounting evidence, including Eocene-Oligocene faulting and volcanism in the South Island, suggests that New Zealand may not be best described as a passive margin during the Early-Mid Tertiary.

In a market economy, the behaviour of firms determines the extent and type of anthropogenic impacts that affect natural ecosystems. As such it is critical that the regulation of corporate behaviour is closely appraised. All economic production systems use natural resource inputs and release waste emissions to environmental sinks; they also contribute to sustainability in terms of income generation. The analysis of economic efficiency is thus coined in terms of juxtaposing and balancing these effects and the role of regulation is to intervene so that the outcome (in terms of corporate behaviour) approximates to this theoretical social optimum. Determining optimal regulation is the core focus of this thesis. The role of environmental regulation has become prominent of late owing to developments in the science (and social science) of climate change and ecosystems functioning. It has also been strongly influenced by the Porter Hypothesis (PH) which challenges the non-interventionist doctrine of neo-classical economics in favour of stricter environmental regulation, based on the presumption that significant pollution offsets are available if and only firms are forced to search for eco-innovations. In order to progress the argument vis-à-vis optimal regulation it is first essential to explore the role of the firm in society, i.e. what the responsibilities of industry ought to be with respect to the sustainability agenda. I juxtapose and critically appraise functionalist theory and its associated utilitarian ethic with social permission theory; the outcome of this analysis is the contention that ‘I&We’ deontological theory is the most defensible alternative and as such a firm’s fiduciaries ought to balance the conflicting claims of stakeholders, i.e. shareholders are important but not paramount. Given this outcome, the role of the regulator is to intervene when the market for ‘green’ corporate behaviour does not function. There are various reasons outlined as to why such intervention might be required. On the demand side, evidence is presented of consumers’ willingness-to-pay for perceived environmental quality. This product attribute is typically a credence attribute and there is asymmetric information; there is an incentive for ‘greenwashing’, i.e. false or misleading environmental marketing claims. The strategic behavioural model developed herein implies that the status quo is potential sub-optimality in that consumers play a mixed strategy and, over time, there is the potential for a vicious cycle in that progressively less and less ‘green’ marketing claims are genuine. On the supply side, firms may be ‘satisficing’ as opposed to optimising with respect to eco-innovations; a firm’s search for and selection of innovation is path-dependent, i.e. the history of innovations is influential. This supports the PH in that stimulating a shift to an eco-innovation trajectory realises benefits not only in the current time period but into the future. I also demonstrate that firms may be ‘locked in’ to technological paths that are sub-optimal (and environmentally damaging) owing to ‘coordination effects’ and as such there is a further role for economically efficient regulatory intervention on the supply side. Well-designed regulation can improve economic welfare in that it might propagate a shift in (as opposed to movement along) abatement cost curves. This in turn implies a convergence between the ‘best’ level of pollution for the polluter and for society, therein ameliorating the potential deadweight losses from the strategic interaction between the polluter and the regulator.

The purpose of this study is to investigate what seem to be the principal attitudes of Americans toward Mexico and Mexicans as expressed by four contemporary American authors, and to point out and evaluate salient features in their respective treatment of the subject.

Thesis advisor: Hideo Konishi / This paper will review prior research to support the notion that innovation does in fact lead to a competitive advantage for business, and that this competitive advantage is translated into increased profitability and productivity. Though the body of work reviewed here will by no means unequivocally prove that this relationship always holds true in real-world markets, it will provide a convincing argument that fostering innovation will likely have positive economic affects. Building off this assumption, this paper will then focus specifically on examining the relationship between environmental regulation and innovation in more detail. This paper looks to answer the question: Under what conditions will environmental regulation cause firms to begin choosing to innovate technologically rather than simply to meet regulation with compliance? Using a simple model of price competition between two firms it will be shown that environmental regulation can effectively induce innovation through spending on R&D projects to develop more efficient technology. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-04T21:38:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Justino Salguero.pdf: 989032 bytes, checksum: c2473750e5360329672dfba6c004a809 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-25 / Esta pesquisa examina a competitividade e sua relação com a qualidade do café industrializado no Brasil por meio das empresas Café Canecão Ltda., Torrefações Noivacolinenses Ltda. e Torrefação e Moagem de Café Serra da Grama Ltda., que utilizaram a melhoria dos seus produtos como estratégia de crescimento. Dentro do atual cenário competitivo, que teve a desregulamentação do mercado do café, a mudança de hábitos dos consumidores, a segmentação e a diferenciação dos produtos, elas optaram pela estratégia de diferenciação, através do incremento da qualidade, realizando alterações nas atividades que compõem a cadeia de valores. Este trabalho foi fundamentado no Diamante de Porter (1989), que estabeleceu os quatro determinantes: condições de fatores; condições de demanda; indústrias correlatas e de apoio; estratégia, estrutura e rivalidade entre as empresas; e ainda, as variáveis: o acaso e o governo. A verificação do Diamante de Porter foi conduzida por meio do confronto de dez enunciados teóricos, abrangendo os quatro determinantes, bem como o papel do governo. Dos elementos do modelo são indicados aqueles que apresentam aderência total e suas contradições, por exemplo, a sofisticação do mercado interno no Brasil. Desse modo é apresentado um resultado onde o modelo do Diamante de Porter é validado a partir dos dados obtidos através das entrevistas nas empresas mencionadas e dados secundários do mercado. A pesquisa mostrou que mesmo tendo havido melhorias na qualidade e crescimento do mercado, o setor do café ainda não alcançou a competitividade preconizada pelo Diamante de Porter.

In 2010, regulators established new rules for single-family mortgage services that tightened the loan amount consumers could qualify for, restricted fees lenders could charge, and placed numerous financial penalties for improper servicing of loans. Regulatory fee restrictions made it difficult for leaders to offset the compliance costs through the price of services provided. Leaders responsible for mortgage regulatory compliance experienced increased operating costs for single-family mortgage services due to the new regulations, and some leaders found it challenging to comply and remain competitive. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies leaders in the single-family mortgage services industry used to comply with federal regulations and remain competitive. The study population included 5 leaders responsible for single-family mortgage regulatory compliance from the southwestern and northern regions of the United States Porter's 5 forces analysis was the conceptual framework. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analysis of data from a website hosted by government regulators. Data were analyzed using color-coded transcriptions, methodological triangulation, member checking, and coding software. Themes that emerged from data analysis revealed that costs and control methods for regulatory compliance strategies required leaders to change their infrastructure to remain competitive and profitable. The implication of this study for positive social change relates to competitive pricing for single-family mortgage loans for consumers yielding an increase in home ownership.

<p>I dagens samhälle råder det en stor konkurrens bland alla branscher och företag, men vad är det egentligen som påverkar konkurrensfördelarna för ett företag eller en produkt. Eftersom energi är en viktig komponent i människors liv och vi har blivit mer miljömedvetna så har också intresset för förnyelsebar energi ökat så tyckte jag det var ett intressant ämne att studera. </p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen var att ta reda på vad det är som påverkar förnyelsebar energis konkurrensfördelar. Med denna information skulle det sedan vara möjligt att se hur det går att etablera sig på marknaden. Eftersom jag var tvungen att begränsa mig valde jag att studera den danska pelletsmarknaden och därmed involvera fem respondenter. Studien har en huvudrespondent och de fyra andra användes för att få fram fullständig information om vad det är som påverkar pelletsbranschen. Resultatet går inte att generalisera då jag valde att gå på djupet genom ett kvalitativt upplägg.</p><p>Slutsatserna jag kunde dra utav uppsatsen är att pellets redan idag ligger långt framme i sin utveckling. Det som påverkar pelletsbranschen var leverantörer, köpare, hotet från substituten, etableringshinder samt nuvarande konkurrenter. Leverantörerna och Köparna styr utbudet och efterfrågan, samtidigt som kvalité och pris är två viktiga faktorer, som påverkar konkurrensfördelarna. Även hotet från substitutprodukter och deras snabba utveckling har sin påverkan på branschen då forskning och utveckling av pellets måste fortlöpa för att behålla sina konkurrensfördelar.</p>