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This study aims to evaluate how the configuration of competitive pillars impacts businesses' competitive efficiency by using a non-parametric model, namely, data envelopment analysis (DEA), with a single constant input.

The proposed DEA model evaluates technical inefficiency, which results from differences in the availability and allocation of resources, and configuration inefficiency, which we link to differences in the way businesses amalgamate their competitive pillars. The sample includes 115 Spanish businesses operating in manufacturing, construction, retail and knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) sectors.

The results reveal that, on an average, firms can improve their overall competitive efficiency by 53.53%. The findings suggest that the configuration of competitive pillars has important implications for efficiency analyses: human capital and strategy are the most relevant aspects shaping competitive efficiency in manufacturing and construction firms; whereas innovation emerges as the most relevant competitive aspect driving competitive efficiency in KIBS firms.

The novelty of this study lies in the analysis of competitive efficiency in a model where efficiency can be explained by overall (industry-specific) competitive efficiency within the industry and by strategic choices on how resources and capabilities are combined within the business.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of supply chain strategies that manufacturing companies can use to minimise or overcome natural resource scarcity, and ultimately improve resource efficiency and achieve competitive advantage. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is also explored.

The proposed research model draws on resource dependence theory. Data were collected from 183 logistics, purchasing, sustainability and supply chain managers from various manufacturing companies and analysed by applying the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique.

The results indicate that both buffering and bridging strategies improve resource efficiency; however, only bridging strategies seem to lead to firm’s competitive advantage in terms of ownership and accessibility to resources. The relationship between resource efficiency and competitive advantage is not supported.

Future research could confirm the robustness of these findings by using a larger sample size and taking into account other supply chain members.

This research provides guidance to managers faced with the growing risk of resource scarcity to achieve a resource efficient supply chain and an advantage over competitors.

Studies have explored the appropriate strategies for minimising dependencies caused by the scarcity of natural resources in the field of supply chain management; however, there is limited empirical work on investigating the impact of these strategies on resource efficiency and competitive advantage.

Much of the practitioner literature touts the universal benefits of process management and its impact on operational performance. However, in academic literature, empirical evidence is mixed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of the competitive intensity on the effectiveness of process management.

Survey data from manufacturing plants were collected from through a global research project. Regression analysis was used to test hypotheses.

The influence of process design on efficiency and innovation performance is not dependent on competitive intensity; however, the impact of process improvement and process control on efficiency and innovation performance is in some instances moderated by competitive intensity.

The inclusion of competitive intensity as a contingency variable helps to explain the contextual impact of process management on efficiency and innovation.

Process management can be an effective tool if the levels of process design, control, and improvement are customized to fit with the competitive environment.

This is one of the few studies to empirically examine process management as three core elements. Previous studies utilized a single construct of process management or multiple manufacturing practices such as customer/supplier involvement, statistical quality control, process focus, and cross-functional teams to measure process management. Using this measurement approach demonstrates how process management can influence both efficiency and innovation.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the relationship between intensity of competition and technical efficiency of large European container ports, accounting for regional diversities and spatial aspects of inter-port competition.

The analysis consists of applying a stochastic production frontier approach to a dataset of 77 large European container ports over the period 2002-2012, with inefficiency terms simultaneously modeled as a function of (among other factors) a constructed index of competitive intensity at different spatial levels.

The results indicate that there is no significant negative effect of competitive intensity on efficiency. In fact, for competing European ports within a proximity of 300 km, a higher level of competition is found to be associated with a higher level of technical efficiency.

The originality of the paper stems from its particular focus on European port regions and its novel findings in this context, which have implications for the discussions regarding pro-competitive port policy and regulation in the European Union.

The purpose of the research presented in this paper is to measure the relative market efficiency of the top listed companies in Egypt.

Applying a two‐stage approach, this study uses production frontier analysis (PFA) to measure the relative market efficiency of 62 listed companies in Egypt, and Tobit regression to examine the dependence of efficiency on the specific operating environment of these companies.

The results indicate that the performance of several companies is sub‐optimal, suggesting the potential for significant improvements over both profitability and marketability dimensions. Separate benchmarks were derived for possible reductions in resources used, and the results indicate that several companies deploy a much larger number of employees than required by a best practice company, and significant savings are possible on this account.

From a policy perspective, this study highlights the economic importance of encouraging increased market efficiency throughout the business sector in Egypt.

The purpose of this paper is to examine supply chain (SC) innovation for improving organisational performance in the healthcare industry.

A research model is proposed which describes the impact of SC innovation, supplier cooperation, SC efficiency, and quality management (QM) practices on organisational performance. The proposed research model and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected from 243 hospitals.

The results of the study support that organisational performance is positively associated with constructs of each SC innovation factor. Innovative design of SC has a significant impact on selection of and cooperation with excellent suppliers, improved SC efficiency, and encouragement of QM practices.

The data used in this study were collected from relatively large hospitals with more than 100 beds in South Korea. The generalization of the study results may be limited by the size of sample hospitals.

This study provides useful planning information in the healthcare industry. The results suggest successful implementation of SC management is attained through continuous SC innovation with supplier cooperation, which in turn improves organisational performance.

The purpose of this study is to benchmark the wireless mobile communication service providers in the USA for the relative efficiencies of assets and expenses in conjunction with revenues. In addition, the impact of merger activities on the efficiencies will be investigated.

The authors use data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure comparative efficiencies of wireless mobile communication companies. Data include annual reports showing assets, expenses, and revenues.

For the relative efficiencies of total asset utilization, eight decision‐making units (DMU) out of 16 are 100 percent efficient. Likewise, seven DMU's are 100 percent efficient in the current asset model. However, only five DMU's are 100 percent efficient in the expense model. Accordingly, the companies maintain relatively higher efficiencies for asset management than those for expense management. Merger activities adversely affect the efficiencies of the companies in the models. Thus, the companies need to make stronger efforts to improve their efficiencies after consolidation.

This study is subject to the limitations of financial data and DEA that measures relative technical efficiencies of DMU. Results will vary according to data and DMU included in the model.

The major contributions of this study are that this is the first attempt of benchmarking using DEA in the wireless telecommunication industry in the USA and its investigation of the impact of merger and acquisition activities on efficiencies.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Supply chain strategies and resource efficiencies are integral to the pursuit of competitive advantage for manufacturing organizations that have to contend with natural resource scarcity. Bridging strategy has been identified as the frontrunner in terms of effective strategies to boost competitive advantage.

The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The purpose of this paper is to determine which strategic objective factors have significant effects on competitive advantage of private label manufacturers in Turkey.

A study was conducted of 90 Turkish private label manufacturers. A web‐based questionnaire was the chosen method.

Three strategic objective factors were found to have an effect on competitive advantage: production efficiency, market embeddedness and product selling control.

A comparative analysis between retailers and manufacturers of private labels was regarded as necessary to learn about their perspectives regarding competition. The large sample size encouraged confident generalization of the findings. Another limitation was only analyzing data from a country that has a low private label market share.

The findings of this paper offer valuable insights to retailers, national brand manufacturers and private label manufacturers, enabling them to learn the triggers for product manufacturing from the perspective of private label manufacturers.

It is hoped that this paper will reveal some valuable perspectives from an emerging private label market.

This study aims to determine the factors that encourage Indonesian banks to collaborate in the banking networks ATM Prima and ATM Bersama to achieve business efficiencies.

A combination of methods is used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Factor analysis and different testing technics are used. The data were obtained through interviews with managers of the banks involved in the two banking networks included in this study.

This research addresses ATM banking from three perspectives: banks that collaborate in ATM networks, banks that are joint ATM providers and banking customers that use ATMs. The results show that the banks in the study are more concerned about cost-effectiveness and cost-efficiencies in both the operational and investment aspects of supporting their ATM infrastructures. ATM providers place more importance on creating the most user-friendly, stable, wide-ranging and continuous system of services by collaborating with other banks in networks that provide ATM services. Customers put more importance on paying the minimum possible administration fees and the availability of specific banking services across a wide area.

This research took place over a period of only one year. This limited the depth of the data collected. A longer study using data that cover more than one fiscal year would have generated more detailed information.

This study places importance on maximizing cost-efficiencies to keep bank fees low for customers. There are significant investment and operational costs associated with setting up and operating ATMs and of adding and managing additional ATMs. This is particularly so in an era when their use is on the decline owing to the increasing use of electronic banking.

The social implications of ATM banking refer to the reduced administration fees customers pay as banks incur cost savings from collaborating on infrastructure and services. The availability of ATMs from specific banks could be replaced by one joint ATM machine that is situated in a specific area where electronic banking is not available. Banks’ customers tend to move to other banking services, and this means banks could lose a lot of their existing customers unless they can come up with unique services that are both accessible and user-friendly.

The originality of this research is that it recommends that some strategies Indonesian banks could use to become more efficient and effective, including forming ATM alliances to maximize efficiency and to achieve a competitive advantage.