Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that the regulatory body and competition commission of British airports carried out a review on the competitiveness of BAA and found it lacking. To improve on this, it is suggested that BAA had to come up with a framework and will make it competitive both locally and internationally. The writer concludes that BAA is headed in the right direction because the proposed sale of the three airports Gatwick, Stanstead and Edinburgh will improve the overall performance of the county's airports and also lead to increased returns.

Outline:
Introduction
Background
The Present Competitive Structure of British Airports
Types of markets

From the Paper
"Most business sectors in the UK have experienced a number of changes since the Second World War. The changes have been more drastic during the last three decades, and as a result, the British Airports Authority has witnessed positive developments. BAA, has undergone a transformation that has seen it change its operations, financial and capital structure, organizations design, management and employee roles and authority as well as its expansion programmes. Some of the changes have been prompted by recommendations from the regulatory authorities while others from scholars and research from organizations such as the Competition Commissions. More particularly, the Competition Commission has made are geared its findings towards making the BAA to be more competitive."

Tags:BAA, Competitive, Advantage, Sell, of, Airport, Airports, Gatwick

Abstract
This paper attempts to show that research and development (R&D) is an important factor of competitive advantage as long as it involves the creation of marketable innovations. It points out that R&D is a rather complex procedure and it is important how R&D expenditure is managed. It also analyzes the contribution of innovation systems on leading economies, namely Japan and the USA.
Outline
Introduction
R&D and Competitive Advantage
R&D and Economic Growth
R&D and National Innovation Systems
R&D, A Complex Process
Characteristics of National Innovation Systems
Japanese and American National Systems of Innovation
Private Sector
Public Sector
Conclusion
Reference List

From the Paper
"A century ago, technological change has been the result of random innovations made by individual and independent inventors only. However, in today's world, characterized by ever increasing global competition, companies as well as governments put their emphasis on organized innovation in their strive for accelerating the process of obtaining technological advance. Organized innovation refers to innovations as the outcome of systematic investments in research and development (R&D) in order to achieve competitive advantage."

Tags:competitive, innovation, porter

Abstract
The paper examines the methods used by Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket, in the field of innovation to create a competitive advantage. The paper provides some background of Tesco, idenitifies the key stages in facilitating good innovative processes within an organisation and focuses on how they have been implemented by Tesco. The paper discusses key initiatives such as cost saving technologies, the protection of innovation and the innovation process itself. The paper concludes by addressing what future elements Tesco should consider. A figure is included in the paper.

Outline:
Introduction
Tesco: A Background
Organisational Facilitation of Innovation
Innovative Products, Services and Processes
Future Considerations

From the Paper
"With regard to idea generation Tesco may be seen as having strong processes, the company operates a number of processes which may be seen as an attempt by the company to generate ideas aimed at incremental changes. These processes include monthly staff briefings in which staff are not only briefed with communications from higher up the hierarchy but are also expected to contribute ideas for improvements within the store or their specific area. Other processes include a suggestions scheme in which the best ideas are selected and published in the company's magazine and employees have the chance to win a prize for their contribution. Failure to plan is often seen as a key reason for the failure of change initiatives (Schermerhorn et al 2005) and thus the failure of an organisation to be good at innovation, the problem is often one of managers spending little time on the planning stage and jumping straight into the implementation stage with often dire consequences. Interviewing revealed that Tesco has a good system of planning with prior consultation unusually taking place and a general feeling that once an innovation was about to be implemented each person knew there role within the initiative regardless of status within the business."

Tags:change, management, competitive, advantage, offerings, product, life, cycle

Abstract
The article "Thinking about Competitive Balance" by Allen R. Sanderson and John J. Siegfried compares different concepts of competitiveness, reviews research on competitive balance and the relationship between payrolls and performance, examines the rules and regulations that contribute to playing performances, and evaluates the possible effect of proposals such as payroll and salary caps, luxury taxes, and increased revenue sharing on competitive balance. The author of this paper examines and critiques the original article and presents his own conclusions.

From the Paper
"The authors note that the league itself also creates some intentional imbalances to level the playing field and the fact that winning conditions create more winning conditions (i.e. the most talented players want to gravitate to the most popular, 'winning-est' teams), These include "reverse-order draft systems, various attempts to constrain players' salaries, revenue sharing" (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2003, p. 268). Some sports leagues have luxury taxes on top heavy teams as well (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2003, p. 268-269). "Lengthening a series reduces the probability that the weaker opponent will win; increasing the number of playoff rounds and the percentage of teams eligible for a championship reduces the chances that the best team will capture the championship" (Sanderson & Siegfried, 2003, p. 272). However, the authors do not include a counterbalance to such arguments--longer seasons also can result in viewer attrition of interest, the competition from other sports beginning while the season sprawls on, and the anger of fans if they feel that their team has been unfairly treated by new rules."

Tags:baseball, sponsors, competetive, players, fans, coach, competition, team, rivalry, sport, franchises, drugs, opponents, championship, league

Abstract
This paper discusses the strategies that Mattel is using to gain a competitive advantage for their line of Barbie dolls over other company's similar products such as the Bratz dolls. The paper analyzes Mattels' decision to eliminate the Ken doll in order to put a new face on Barbie, the existing rivalry between competitors in the same market, and the threat of new competitors entering the market. The paper also looks at the bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers and concludes that only if Mattel can convince young girls that Barbie is special and remains interesting and relevant to girl's lives today can Barbie survive into the 21st century.

Outline:
Intensity of Rivalry Among Existing Competitors
Threat of Entry by New Competitors
Pressure from Substitute Products
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Bargaining Power of Buyers

From the Paper
"According to Mattel's Feb 12, 2004 press release "The Break-Up of the Millennium for the 'Doll' of a Couple," after more than 43 years together, Barbie and Ken, have decided to spend some "quality" time apart. Despite the fact that anecdotal evidence suggests that Ken is a less than desirable addition to the Barbie family, often scratched off Christmas lists to make room for the purchase of additional dream house furniture and shunned by girls who would rather 'be' Barbie during playtime, the press release presents the alliance between the doll couple as a legendary romance. However, it also admits that Barbie has not always been faithful, and while Ken has been Barbie's sweetheart and supporter, "Barbie has befriended some of the world's most famous celebrities, from popular boy bands to super secret agent spies," and now she looks forward to life as a independent young woman. Barbie is now evolving into a "Cali Girl," a more carefree girl and returning to her Malibu roots."

Tags:Ken, collectors, suppliers, buyers, competition

Abstract
This paper discusses the work of Michael Porter and looks at his books, "Competitive Strategy" and "Competitive Advantage" in which he identifies two basic types of competitive advantage a firm can possess. The author discusses how many strategies there are and whether firms who follow only one strategy are 'stuck in the middle'.

Outline:
Introduction
Cost Leadership
Porter's Typology
Differentiation
Focus
Focus as a Separate Strategy
Cost focus
Differentiation Focus
'Stuck in the Middle'
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In his books, Competitive Strategy (1980) and Competitive Advantage (1985) Michael Porter has identified two basic types of competitive advantage a firm can possess; low cost or differentiation. Moreover, he has formulated three generic competitive strategies aimed at achieving competitive advantage; namely, cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategies. Porter (1980) has also described a low profitability strategy which he called 'Stuck in the Middle'. At that time, the notion of generic strategy was very appealing as it seemed to offer the theoretical basis in an area which previously lacked solid theoretical foundations (Murray, 1988).
"In spite of the extensive empirical evidence which support Porter's (1980) typology of generic strategies, there has been much discussion and criticism for its conceptual limitations (Kotha & Vadlamani, 1995). It has been suggested that the focus strategy is just a special case of cost leadership or product differentiation and, therefore, there are only two competitive strategies. In this essay I will discuss how many strategies there are and whether firms who do not follow only one strategy are 'stuck in the middle'. In the following section I will review Porter's (1980) typology of the three generic strategies."

Tags:strategies, profitability, generic

Abstract
This paper argues that cheerleading should be seen as a competitive sport. The author contends that cheerleaders are serious athletes who work hard during practices to memorize cheers, chants, stunts and dance moves. Additionally, the author believes that having cheering as a competitive sport will allow more scholarships and a chance for cheerleaders to compete on a competitive level. The cheerleading team at the University of Maryland, College Park is used as an example of a competitive cheer squad.

From the Paper
"Cheerleading is rapidly becoming an emerging sport due to its popularity in high schools and colleges. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) is responsible for making recommendations to the NCAA Management Councils with regard to selection, retention and elimination of emerging sports. The committee considers a number of factors in determining if a sport has the potential to become an NCAA championship sport. These include: 1.There must be twenty or more varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that currently exist on college campuses in that sport; 2. There is support for that sport from various organizations, groups or associations; 3. There is an understanding that once identified as an emerging sport, all NCAA institutions wishing to sponsor the sport at the varsity level must abide by NCAA regulations."

Tags:NCAA, squad, vasity, sport, scholarship

Abstract
The paper examines the competitive edge by looking at the issues that face companies in today's business environment. The paper explores several large corporations such as Dell and Walmart and looks at the strategies of successful managers, the concept of outsourcing and the importance of customer satisfaction.

Outline:
Creating Barriers to Gain a Competitive Edge
Outsourcing
Marketing Strategy
Customer Satisfaction is Competitive Advantage
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The importance of the competitive edge in the world of business today has probably never been more important than it is today. Modern technology has created a playing field that has given rise to competition and opportunities beyond the restrictions of geographic location or an office in a particular city. By the same token, it has created opportunities, and it is the skilled, motivated, and creative leadership of an organization that seizes upon the opportunities to increase their company's profit margin by meeting the competition head on, rather than pulling back in fear of it (Corrigan 2004). K. Corrigan says that a business approaches competition as a "compilation of process," and meets those competitive challenges with five pillars of performance that lead to success: strategic vision; innovation; ideas; performance, and leadership."

Tags:managers, outsourcing, customer, satisfaction

Abstract
This paper is a concise critical evaluation of the extent of sustained competitive advantage a firm can attain with the astute use of internal resources. The paper presents the thesis statement of the paper to outline the argument of the paper, followed by a literature review. The review of literature outlines the significance of the topic, the various internal resources available to tourism/hospitality organizations, and the efficient employment of these resources towards the goal of competitive advantage in light of management theories. An analysis by the author follows the literature review to critically analyze the extent of competitive advantage from an astute use of internal resources.

From the Paper
"The tourism and hospitality industries are operating in a global environment. The extent of globalization introduces the organization working in the industry to compete beyond borders, besides the competition faced from within the local market. Therefore organizations need to be highly competitive to get hold of a greater share of consumers in the global markets. However, tourism and hospitality industries are sensitive to global fluctuations in demand and conditions (such as travel safety and seasonal shifts). Keeping this under consideration, organizations need to strengthen the use of their internal resources to solidify their operations in the fierce competition. This generates the need for organization to realize the importance of efficiently utilizing their internal resources towards organizational objectives."

Tags:hotel, guest, management, tour, season, travel

Abstract
This paper critically examines the current competitive strategies of Nike and New Balance and analyzes whether an organization can simultaneously follow a cost leadership strategy and a differentiation strategy. The paper compares the various approaches used in both organizations in light of the five generic competitive strategies as laid out by Michael Porter. The paper concludes that Nike and New Balance cannot implement both a cost-leadership strategy and a differentiation strategy in each of their businesses. The paper relates that under Porter's analysis, both companies will continue to be successful in the future.

Outline:
Introduction
Brief Overview of Nike
Brief Overview of New Balance
Competitive Forces Model (Porter)
Entry of Competitors
Threat of Substitutes
Bargaining Power of Buyers and Suppliers
Cost Leadership Strategies and Differentiation Strategies as Competitors
Differentiation Strategy
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In the past few years, competition among organizations that manufacture and sell athletic apparel and athletic shoes has dramatically increased. As a result, competitive strategies have emerged as key factors in determining the long- term success or ultimate failure of such organizations. Two large rival companies that have demonstrated extreme success as well as periods of instability and weak sales are Nike and New Balance. An analysis and comparison of their cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategies provides a clearer picture of what types of competitive strategies are essential for an organization to survive in today's cut-throat economy."

Tags:leadership, management, marketing, brands