...The theory of comparative advantage suggests that activities should take place in the countries that can perform them most efficiently, given that different countries are capable with different factors of production. If there are no barriers or costs to trade, then it is likely that many industries will be based out of the countries that provide the best set of factor endowments. Given location economies, a company can develop a global web of value-creation activities to take advantage of differing factor endowments in differing locations. For firms already located in the countries with the most favorable factor endowments for their industry, however, there may not be a need to expand internationally at a certain point in time. The firm may be content to simply focus on the domestic market. As factor endowments develop, the firm may want to disperse its value-creating activities to those markets that offer comparative advantages. If the firm is in a competitive market, it will benefit from international expansion that includes its value-creating activities because of the cost position and product differentiation opportunities such expansion can confer. A firm may be able to survive in a local market without international expansion, as long as the local market is not targeted by competitors who have taken advantage of the economies offered by dispersing their value-creation activities internationally. But if the firm does want to expand internationally, it may be able to do...
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...Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12, 535-548 (1991) PORTER'S 'COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF NATIONS': AN ASSESSMENT ROBERT M. GRANT Management Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.A. Porter's Competitive Advantage of Nations is an important book which bridges the gap between strategic management and international economics while contributing substantially to both. Porter's analysis ofthe impact of national environment on international competitive performance demonstrates the potential for the theory of competitive strategy to rescue international economics from its slide into refined irrelevance, while simultaneously broadening the scope ofthe theory of competitive strategy to encompass both the international dimension and the dynamic context of competition. Nevertheless, the breadth and relevance of Porter's analysis have been achieved at the expense of precision and determinancy. Concepts are often ill defined, theoretical relationships poorly specified, and empirical data chosen selectively and interpreted subjectively. The Competitive Advantage of Nations is an important book. Among Porter's books to date, it is the broadest in scope and the most ambitious in intent. The book addresses a question which lies at the heart of economic and managerial science: 'Why do some social groups, economic institutions, and nations advance and prosper?' (Porter, 1990: xi).This is no new issue: the same question stimulated Adam Smith's...
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...The competitive advantage of nations: is Porter’s Diamond Framework a new theory that explains the international competitiveness of countries? A.J. Smit ABSTRACT The focus of this article is to clarify the meaning of international competitiveness at the country level within in the context of Porter’s (1990a) thesis that countries, like companies, compete in international markets for their fair share of the world markets. At a country level, there are two schools of thought on country competitiveness: the economic school, which rejects Porter’s notion of country competitiveness, and the management school, which supports the notion of competitiveness at a country level. This article reviews and contrasts the theories pertaining to these two schools of thought with specific reference to trade theories and the ‘theory’ of the competitive advantage of nations originally advanced by Porter (1990a, 1997a, 1998b, 1998c, 2000). Although Porter’s Diamond Framework has been extensively discussed in the management literature, its actual contribution to the body of knowledge in the economic and management literature has never been clarified. The purpose of this article is to explain why Porter’s Diamond Framework is not a new theory that explains the competitiveness of countries but rather a framework that enhances our understanding of the international competitiveness of firms. Key words: Porter, Diamond Framework, international competition, competitiveness of countries, international business...
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...Competitive Advantage Introduction Why do you buy a cup of coffee in Starbucks? Why will you choose KFC for your lunch rather than other brands? The answer lies on the term competitive advantage. It becomes the main reason to build brand loyalty for customers. (Boundless 2015) Nowadays, most firms both in local and global markets all face a challenge for a marketing strategy is to find a way of achieving and sustain a competitive advantage compared with the other products and companies. The basic condition of competition has changed a lot and the speed of this tendency is increasing. And with the change of competitive environment, traditional competitive such as economical scale or advertisement expenditure cannot be such effectively as past time. What’s more, traditional management ideas are unlikely to lead a firm competing with other companies. Therefore, managers need to build a new managerial mind-set about competitive advantage. (Barney&Mackey 2005) This article will introduce the definition of competitive advantage in a market and emphasis the importance of it. It will also be presented two main strategies including cost strategy and differential strategy. And then some issues will be stated that organizations facing in trying to gain and maintain competitive advantage. Then it gives some reasons that why competitive advantage is still a significative concept at present. Body Definition of Competitive Advantage A competitive advantage means one firm has...
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...Critically evaluate Porter’s Diamond of National Competitive Advantage as an aid to understanding national competitiveness. Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1. The diamond model by Michael Porter 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Diamond model Theory 4 1.2.1 Factor Condition 4 1.2.2 Demand conditions 5 1.2.3 Firm strategy, structure and rivalry 5 1.2.4 Related and supported industries 6 1.2.5 The role of Government 6 1.3 Criticism of the framework 7 1.4 Practical Example 7 1.5 Conclusion 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1. The diamond model by Michael Porter 1 1.1 Introduction According to Recklies (2001), increasingly corporate strategies have to be seen in global context and even if an organization does not plan to import or to export has to look at an international business environment, in which actions of competitors, buyers, sellers, new entrants of providers of substitutes may influence the domestic market and information technology has been reinforcing this trend. The classical models and theories related to international trade before Michael Porter’s Diamond theory, mainly proposed that the comparative advantage resides in the factors endowments that a country may be fortunate enough to inherit and these factors mainly consisted of land, natural resources, labour and the size of the local population but Porter argued though his...
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...Strategic management is a field that involves the formulation and implementation of plans and policies that help an organization achieve its objectives. Strategic management as a professional field and discipline originated during the period of the half twentieth century, the 1950s with Igor Ansoff, Michael porter, Alfred Chandler and Henry Mintzeberg as the one of the main contributors in the development of the field of strategic management . During the 1950s, after the Second World War, academicians, researchers and practitioners basically paid very little attention to the practical concepts of strategy developed and embraced during the war. After normalcy and stability was achieved most business persons and investors started focusing and laying more emphasis on efficient and effective production in order to restore what was lost during the war. Consequently, production firms and organizations moved and shifted from an emphasis on operations, budgeting and controlling areas to more emphasis on planning aspects (Freeman, 2010). This arose as result of the dynamic environment that businesses were operating in and the urgent need for solutions which eventually demanded future planning taken at a larger perspective and view. This led to many businesses requiring the urgent need of having a corporate policy. With these, the seminar work of Chandler of 1962 placed and positioned the concept of strategy as a unique business function from marketing, sales, finance and production....
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...The theory of international trade: 1. Mercantilism Theory. 2. Absolute Advantage Theory. 3. Comparative Advantage Theory. 4. Heckscher-Ohlin's Theory 5. Porter’s Diamond of Competitive Advantage Theory. Mercantilism The first theory of international trade ,mercantilism, engaged in England in the Mid 16th century holding that a countries wealth is measured by its holdings of treasure which usually means its gold & silver. The principal assertion of mercantilism was that gold and silver were the mainstays of national wealth and essential to vigorous commerce. At that time gold & silver were the currency of trade between countries,a country could earn gold & silver by exploiting goods. Conversely, importing goods from other countries would result in a outflow of gold & silver to those countries.The main tenet of mercantilism was that it was in a country’s best interest to maintain a trade surplus,to export more than it imported.By doing so,a country would accumulate gold and silver and, consequently ,increase its national wealth, prestige & power. Government policies: Consistent with this belief, the mercantilism doctrine advocated government intervention to acieve a surplus in the balance of trade.The mercatelists saw no virtue in a large volume of trade.Rather they recommended policies to maximize exports and minimize imports.To achieve this. import were limited by tarrif and quotas.while exports were subsidized. The concept of Balance of Trade: ...
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...sources of sustained competitive advantage of a firm. To develop the strategy we need to analyze the firm’s internal strength and weaknesses (resource based model) as well as the external opportunities and the threat(environmental models). Environmental model is based on heterogeneity and mobility of the resources and assumes that all firms have the same strategy and the resources are heterogenic and mobile so the competitive advantage are not long lasting. Where as resource based model states that resources are immobile as well as heterogenic and can have long lasting competitive advantage. Firm resources are categorized into three types – physical capital resources, human capital resources and organizational capital resources. Some of the attributes of this resources can be used for developing strategies for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of a firm. We need to specify conditions under which we can select resources which can be used as an competitive advantage. Competitive advantage means that a firm as a value added strategy over others and competitive advantage can only be sustainable if the other firms cannot duplicate that strategy. Once the strategy is being duplicate depending upon the strategy of the competitors or due to change in economic condition it is not longer sustainable. In an industry where firms have similar resources I,e resources are homogenous and mobile, it is not possible to have sustainable competitive advantage as they apply the...
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...Week 1: The economic foundations of theories in strategy Corporate strategy; where to compete, portfolio, parent level Competitive strategy; how to compete, SBU, competitive advantage Three layers of theory: management – strategic management – economies Paradox: how is it possible to have a general statement about uniqueness? We try to have general statements about uniqueness. Theory=general statement about cause and effect Stoelhorst, J.W. (2008), Thinking about Strategy Stoelhorst: 5 Schools of thought about strategy • Prescriptive schools: ○ 1960s: Design school (strategy formulation) ○ 1970s: Planning school (strategy formulation) ○ 1980s: Positioning school (strategic analysis) ○ 1990s: Resource-based school (strategic analysis) • Descriptive school: ○ 1980s onwards: Process school Design school: Strategy formulation is a process of conception The CEO formulates a clear, simple, and unique strategy (business policy) through a deliberate process of conscious thought. There should be a fit between a firm’s strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). Strategy formulation and implementation are clearly separate activities. Planning school: Strategy formulation is a formal process ...
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...International Trade Theory Chapter Outline OPENING CASE: The Ecuadorian Rose Industry INTRODUCTION AN OVERVIEW OF TRADE THEORY The Benefits of Trade The Pattern of International Trade Trade Theory and Government Policy MERCANTILISM Country Focus: Is China a Neo-Mercantilist Nation? ABSOLUTE ADVANTAGE COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE The Gains from Trade Qualifications and Assumptions Extensions of the Ricardian Model Country Focus: Moving U.S. White Collar Jobs Offshore HECKSCHER-OHLIN THEORY The Leontief Paradox THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE THEORY Evaluating the Product Life Cycle Theory NEW TRADE THEORY Increasing Product Variety and Reducing Costs Economies of Scale, First Mover Advantages and the Pattern of Trade Implications of New Trade Theory NATIONAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: PORTER’S DIAMOND Factor Endowments Demand Conditions Related and Supporting Industries Firm Strategy, Structure, Rivalry Evaluating Porter’s Theory Management Focus: The Rise of Finland’s Nokia FOCUS ON MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS Location First-Mover Advantages Government Policy SUMMARY CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS CLOSING CASE: Trade in Information Technology and U.S. Economic Growth Learning Objectives 1. Understand why nations trade with each other. 2. Be familiar with the...
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...Internal Analysis Matter? Internal analysis helps a firm: • determine if its resources and capabilities are likely sources of competitive advantage • establish strategies that will exploit any sources of competitive advantage Traditional research on firm strengths and weaknesses • Theories of distinctive competence – General managers as distinctive competencies – Institutional leadership as a distinctive competence • Ricardian economics • Penrose’s theory of firm growth Research on the skills of general managers, institutional leaders, economic rents and firm growth have been brought together to develop a rigorous model to analyze a firm’s strengths and weaknesses: the resource-based view of the firm The Theory Behind Internal Analysis The Resource-Based View • developed to answer the question: Why do some firms achieve better economic performance than others? • used to help firms achieve competitive advantage and superior economic performance • assumes that a firm’s resources and capabilities are the primary drivers of competitive advantage and economic performance The Resource-Based View Resources and Capabilities Resources: • tangible and intangible assets of a firm » tangible: factories, products ; intangible: reputation • used to conceive of and implement strategies Capabilities: • a subset of resources that enable a firm to take full advantage of other resources » marketing skill, cooperative relationships The Resource-Based View Four Categories of Resources • Financial...
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...Competitive advantage seeks to address some of the criticisms of comparative advantage. Michael Porter proposed the theory in 1985. Competitive advantage theory suggests that states and businesses should pursue policies that create high-quality goods to sell at high prices in the market. Porter emphasizes productivity growth as the focus of national strategies. Competitive advantage rests on the notion that cheap labor is ubiquitous and natural resources are not necessary for a good economy. The other theory, comparative advantage, can lead countries to specialize in exporting primary goods and raw materials that trap countries in low-wage economies due to terms of trade. Competitive advantage attempts to correct for this issue by stressing maximizing scale economies in goods and services that garner premium prices (Stutz and Warf 2009).[1] Competitive advantage occurs when an organization acquires or develops an attribute or combination of attributes that allows it to outperform its competitors. These attributes can include access to natural resources, such as high grade ores or inexpensive power, or access to highly trained and skilled personnel human resources. New technologies such as robotics and information technology either to be included as a part of the product, or to assist making it. ' Information technology has become such a prominent part of the modern business world that it can also contribute to competitive advantage by outperforming competitors with regard to...
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...application of trade theory to explain the benefits of engaging in International Trade Economic Implications of a country’s membership of a trading bloc for a business Compare the various types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and analyze how they may affect the various countries involved as well as the businesses within these countries INTERNATIONAL TRADE THEORY Four Theories of International Trade are: Absolute Advantage Product Life-cycle Theory New Trade Theory Porter’s determinants of National Competitive Advantage MERCANTILIST THEORY States that nations should accumulate financial wealth, usually in the form of gold, by encouraging exports and discouraging imports. Aim is to maximize exports and minimize imports. Rest on the idea that if one country gained, then another must lose. MERCANTILIST THEORY Problems : This theory excludes the fact that in some cases it is good to import. By discouraging import the population will have to do without certain consumer items. ABSOLUTE ADVANTAGE This concept is generally attributed to Adam Smith . Refers to the ability of a country/firm to produce greater output of a good or service than other countries/firms using the same amount of resources. Smith argued that a country should specialize in producing those goods/services for which it has an absolute advantage. Countries would benefit/gain if they export only those good/services in which they have an absolute advantage and import those...
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...mention the main sections you are going to have in your answer [such as 'theoretical discussions', 'critical discussions'] - “The contribution by Porter (1990) on the competitive advantage of nations has led to an extensive discussion among academics and practitioners on the sources of international competitiveness (Grant, 1991; Gray, 1991). However, in order to understand why so much emphasis is placed on the diamond framework in the management literature, this essay will discuss Porter’s concept of the Diamond and the factors that contribute to the development of national competitive advantage. This paper will begin with a theoretical approach followed by the reception of different authors and schools of thoughts who disagreed with his management thinking, and then goes on to consider empirical issues which have arisen subsequently, followed by a conclusion.” Theoretical Discussions (explain the 'main theory' [such as 'Late/Early industrialization', 'Managerial enterprise', 'Weber's theory about impacts of culture'] in this question) - “Porter’s theory of national competitive advantage is based upon a study of the characteristics of the national environment which identifies four sets of variables, and an additional two, which influences a company’s ability to establish and maintain competitive advantage within international markets. These interacting determinants are: factor conditions; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure...
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...Michael Porter’s theory on National Competitive Advantage, is the best theory to utilize when an internationalising firm wants to select one country over another for new entry The globalization has become a ubiquitous and potent symbol of the age since the early 1980s. The term globalization was used to describe strengthening interactions of people from various countries, which resulted from the emergency of numerous new technologies (Daniel, Radenbaugh & Sullivan, 2002). As the popularization of globalization, more firms prefer to enter the emerging markets, like China, to search for the higher return. However, resulted from the studies segment, there is not an exact theory or study can be regarded as guidelines for these internationalizing firms. Overall, Michael Porter’s theory on national completive advantage is a better theory to be adopted by the international firms which want to select a better country for new entry. The dominance of Porter’s theory are its comprehensiveness, the dynamic Diamond theoretical system and analysis form both inductive and deductive sides. Meanwhile, it is at a disadvantage in its assumption. Thus, this essay will explore both sides of Porter’s theory. Porter's model includes four key elements. The Diamond model is depicted as figure 1, where the four forces jointly constitute a firm's global competitiveness in a given industry ( Porter,1990) Source: Porter (1990) The Competitive Advantage of Nations. The first element...
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