We examined parental influence on athletes' pre-competitive anxiety. The effect of parental presence during competition was studied as was the role of parenting practices. Data were collected from a sample of 341 athletes (201 basketball players and 140 tennis players) before an official competition. Analysis of variance indicated that the presence of both parents was associated with higher pre...

One of the key factors affecting leakage in water distribution systems is network pressure management by putting Pressure Reduce Valves (PRV) in the flow path and optimal regulation of these vales in water networks. This study aimed at investigating optimal pressure management problems so as to minimize leakage in water distribution networks. To do so, an approach was proposed for both optimal ...

This study examines the link between product market competition and labour investment efficiency. We find that competitive pressure distorts efficiency of corporate employment decisions by creating an underinvestment problem. finding withstands a battery robustness checks remains unchanged after accounting for endogeneity concerns. Additional analysis shows relationship is stronger firms facing...

In recent years, competitive changes and pressure on business environment have increased importance of competitive fields. Competitive intelligence is one of the commercial tools available in this field. It extracts helpful information from competitive environment and, after accurate analysis, generates effective strategies for the organization. High speed of changes, uncertainty, complexity an...

As an important participant in Chinese market, SMEs are confronted with the tasks of keeping themselves competitive, which concern their survival and future growth. To help Chinese SMEs maintain and improve competitiveness, a theoretical framework is built up through organizing the existing theories and findings in studying SMEs in China. The framework investigates competitive strategy and busi...

We consider the decision of a dominant firm to adopt a sequence of potential cost-reducing innovations, where the latest technology adopted diffuses to a competitive fringe at an exogenous rate. With price competition on the product market, the leader optimally spaces apart the adoption dates of successive innovations, so the industry is characterized by Schumpetarian cycles of alternating inno...