TY - JOUR
T1 - A nonparametric analysis of competitiveness efficiency
T2 - The relevance of firm size and the configuration of competitive pillars
AU - Lafuente, Esteban
AU - Leiva, Juan Carlos
AU - Moreno-Gómez, Jorge
AU - Szerb, László
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - This study employs a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with a single constant input to analyze the competitiveness performance of a unique sample of 103 knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms from Hungary, Spain, Colombia, and Costa Rica for the year 2017. Also, we assess how the configuration of competitive pillars—strengths and weaknesses—affects efficiency and how firm size moderates this relationship. The mean efficiency scores by which the competitiveness output can be optimized is 47.43%. The results suggest that the configuration of competitive pillars has important implications for efficiency analyses. For small businesses, competitive-enhancing actions should focus on mitigating competitive weaknesses that are detrimental to efficiency. Also, a configuration of competitive pillars in which one or various competitive strengths prevail is more beneficial for small businesses. Managerial tools such as the proposed competitiveness measure may offer useful information on what strategic actions can contribute to optimize business competitiveness. JEL CLASSIFICATION C14; L19; L25.
AB - This study employs a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with a single constant input to analyze the competitiveness performance of a unique sample of 103 knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) firms from Hungary, Spain, Colombia, and Costa Rica for the year 2017. Also, we assess how the configuration of competitive pillars—strengths and weaknesses—affects efficiency and how firm size moderates this relationship. The mean efficiency scores by which the competitiveness output can be optimized is 47.43%. The results suggest that the configuration of competitive pillars has important implications for efficiency analyses. For small businesses, competitive-enhancing actions should focus on mitigating competitive weaknesses that are detrimental to efficiency. Also, a configuration of competitive pillars in which one or various competitive strengths prevail is more beneficial for small businesses. Managerial tools such as the proposed competitiveness measure may offer useful information on what strategic actions can contribute to optimize business competitiveness. JEL CLASSIFICATION C14; L19; L25.
KW - Competitiveness
KW - benchmarking
KW - data envelopment analysis
KW - system dynamics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089141441&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/2340944420941440
DO - 10.1177/2340944420941440
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85089141441
SN - 2340-9436
VL - 23
SP - 203
EP - 216
JO - BRQ Business Research Quarterly
JF - BRQ Business Research Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -