Title: Revisiting the competitiveness theory in the new global environment: review and analysis of the competitiveness definition

Authors: Juyoung Lee; Elena Karpova

Addresses: Fashion Design and Merchandising, School of Human Sciences, Mississippi State University, 258 Lloyd-Ricks-Watson Bldg., Mississippi State, MS 39759, USA ' Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, Iowa State University, 1072 Lebaron Hall, Ames, IA 50010, USA

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to conceptualise the definition of competitiveness, based on extant theoretical and empirical research, thereby advancing the process of competitiveness theory building. To address the research purpose, the study analysed theoretical backgrounds of competitiveness to develop a comprehensive perspective and definition of the construct. To address the research purpose, in this study: 1) a theory building process (Silver, 1983) was used to analyse existing definitions of the competitiveness construct; 2) theoretical concepts were extracted from the existing competitiveness definitions and theories; 3) based on the analysis, a comprehensive definition of competitiveness was proposed.

Keywords: competitiveness definition; theory building; productivity; knowledge.

DOI: 10.1504/IJC.2018.091474

International Journal of Competitiveness, 2018 Vol.1 No.3, pp.189 - 205

Received: 19 May 2015
Accepted: 27 Jul 2015
Published online: 02 May 2018 *

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