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Market Growth (market + growth)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	50%

Selected Abstracts

Understanding pressures on fishery resources through trade statistics: a pilot study of four products in the Chinese dried seafood market

FISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 1 2004
Shelley Clarke
Abstract This study investigates the dried seafood trade, centred in Chinese markets, in order to better understand the pressures its demand exerts on global marine resource stocks. Using Hong Kong, the region's largest entrepôt, as a focal point, the trade in shark fins, abalone, bêche-de-mer and dried fish is characterized in terms of product history, volume, source fisheries and species composition. Trends identified in the Hong Kong market are interpreted in the context of the larger Chinese market. Shark fin imports grew 6% per year between 1991 and 2000, most likely because of market expansion in Mainland China, posing increasingly greater pressures on global shark resources. In contrast, the quantities of dried abalone traded through Hong Kong remained steady, but inferences based on this trend are discouraged by suggestions of increasing preferences for fresh product forms and growing domestic production in Mainland China. Hong Kong's imports of dried bêche-de-mer (sea cucumber) have decreased, while the percentage of imports re-exported has remained steady, suggesting that Hong Kong continues as an entrepôt for Mainland China despite declining domestic consumption. Few conclusions can be drawn regarding dried fish products, including whole fish and fish maws, because of a lack of product differentiation in customs data, but a market survey was conducted to provide information on species composition. Comparison of Hong Kong dried seafood trade statistics to those of other key trading partners indicates that, in general, Hong Kong's duty-free status appears to encourage more accurate reporting of traded quantities. Under-reporting biases ranged from 24 to 49% for shark fin and bêche-de-mer, respectively. Comparison to United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) databases indicates additional under-reporting for shark fin such that an alternative minimum estimate of world trade is at least twice the FAO estimates in 1998,2000. The results of a survey of Hong Kong traders provide insight into their attitudes toward harvest, economic and regulatory factors, and suggest that conservation efforts are unlikely to emerge from, or be actively supported by, dried seafood trade organizations. The market's apparent sensitivity to economic sentiment, however, reveals an opportunity for consumer education to play a role in shaping future market growth and resource conservation. Recommendations are provided for improving trade statistics and for developing better analytical techniques to complement traditional methods for monitoring the exploitation and management of fisheries resources. [source]

Are the Brookhill,Wilk patents impediments to market growth in cybersurgery?

THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SURGERY, Issue 1 2008
T. R. McLean
Abstract Background In the past, many surgeons could practise their craft with little or no knowledge of patent law. But in the world of robotic and computerized surgery, this is increasingly a myopic approach, because the principle means of protecting high-tech surgical instruments is through the application of patent law. The issue is: does the Brookhill,Wilk patent, which covers the performance of remote robotic surgery, impede the growth of cybersurgery? Methods Review of the Brookhill,Wilk patent and relevant law. Results Patent law, which first took its form in the Middle Ages, attempts to balance the rewarding of innovation with the stifling of market growth. Using US patent law as a model, it would appear that the Brookhill,Wilk patent, a particular example of a medical process patent, could inhibit the growth of cybersurgery, as potential sums of money could be demanded by the patent holder from anyone who practises cybersurgery. However, two recent US Supreme Court cases appear to have seriously undermined the validity of a number of medical process patents, including the Brookhill,Wilk patent. Conclusion Based on recent changes in patent law, it is not expected that Brookhill,Wilk patent will hinder the growth of cybersurgery. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Launch decisions and competitive reactions: an exploratory market signaling study

THE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2002
Erik Jan Hultink
When firms launch a new product into the marketplace they often aim to find a balance between building scale and provoking extensive and quick competitive reactions. Competitors react to new products when they perceive the product introduction as hostile, committed or when they feel that the product entry will have a large impact on their profitability. The present study develops a framework that shows how strong and fast incumbents react to perceived market signals resulting from a new product's launch decisions (broad targeting, penetration pricing, advertising intensity and product advantage). The strength of the relationships between the launch decisions and the perceived market signals was expected to depend on one industry characteristic (i.e., market growth) and on one entrant characteristic (i.e., aggressive reputation). We distinguished three market signals in our framework: hostility, commitment and consequences. Signal hostility refers to the extent to which the approach used by an acting firm to introduce the new product is perceived hostile whereas the commitment signal refers to the extent to which incumbents perceive the entrant firm to be committed to the new product introduction. The consequence signal is defined as the incumbents' perception of the impact of a new product entry on their profitability. We tested our framework using cross-sectional data provided by 73 managers in The Netherlands who recently reacted to a new product entry. The results clearly reveal which launch decisions create which market signals. For example, incumbents consider high advantage new products hostile and consequential. Penetration pricing and an intense advertising campaign are also considered hostile, especially in fast growing markets. Broad targeting is not perceived hostile, especially not when used by entrants with an aggressive reputation. In addition, this study explored the impact of three perceived market signals on the strength and speed of competitive reaction. The results reveal that perceived signals of hostility and commitment positively impact the strength of reaction, whereas the perceived consequence signal positively impacts the speed of reaction. The article concludes with the implications of our study for managers and academics. The relevance to managers was assessed from both the perspective of the incumbent firm that must defend, and that of the rival firm that is introducing the new product. [source]

THE NEW MODEL OF THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY IN SPAIN WITHIN THE EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK

ANNALS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2007
J. BAREA
ABSTRACT,:,This study identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the the new regulatory framework for railways in Spain. We offer a description of the present situation of the railway industry in Spain, following the coming into force of the new Railway Industry Law in January 2005. We also analyse the international experience in light of the principles underlying the liberalization of the railway industry in Europe and, in particular, the cases of the United Kingdom and France. These two models are suitable for our purposes based on these main items: the degree of effective competition, the similarity to the Spanish case, the rail market growth and the geographical location. Our conclusions are that Spain has overcome some mistakes made by the countries mentioned above, like leaving infrastructure investment or security aspects in the hands of the private sector, however others have been committed, such as the excessive influence of the government on the basic actors of the industry or defining a complex system without well defined responsibilities. [source]