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PurposeThis study explores the link between the level of importance managers assign to competitive pressures from domestic competition, foreign competition and customers as factors in the key business decisions related to innovation and the outcome of firms' product innovation efforts.Design/methodology/approachThe research sample is taken from the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey by World Bank (2005). The relevant questions for the study were extracted from the survey. Logistic regression models were used for analysis using the ISLR library from R statistical software.FindingsManagers' consideration of customer pressure for innovation as important in key business decisions related to innovation has a positive and sustainable effect, distinct from that of R&D and other innovative activities, on firms' success of product innovation efforts.Research limitations/implicationsThe research acknowledges the need to verify the findings in a multicountry setting.Practical implicationsThis research can help mediate the managers' assignment of importance to certain types of competition for innovation decisions in multicompetitive environment for improved success of product innovation efforts.Originality/valueSimultaneous consideration of multiple competitive pressures by managers helps to identify the most suitable innovation activities for their respective firms and improve the chances of success of firms' innovation efforts.

The paper analyses canonical correlations between domestic competition, trade openness and entrepreneurial culture. The research covered 141 countries ranked by World Competitiveness Index in 2019. Canonical correlation analysis is applied to find relationship between two canonical variables. The first canonical variable includes sub-indexes from Domestic competition and Trade openness pillars. The second variable contains sub-indexes from Entrepreneurial culture pillar. The results of the analysis showed there is a strong, positive, statistically significant canonical correlation between these canonical variables with a Pearson coefficient of 0.86. The linear regression analysis is also applied. The regression analysis shows that the variable Distortive effects of taxes and subsidies on competition is the most important for all dependent variables. The extent of market dominance, Competition in services and Border clearance efficiency are important, but not as much as taxes and subsidies. It confirms that regulation of domestic competition and trade openness are supreme for entrepreneurial culture.

Despite the importance of international patenting in understanding technology diffusion across countries, it is unclear how business locations affect firms’ international patenting behavior. This paper investigates the impact of business locations on international patenting using data from the Management, Organization and Innovation survey 2009 with a representative sample of 1508 firms from twelve countries. Several findings emerge from our analyses. First, firms outsourcing abroad tend to patent abroad but not at home. Second, firms are more likely to patent at home when facing foreign competitors. Third, when facing domestic competitors, firms are less likely to apply for patents. These findings imply that firms use patents to compete against foreign competitors.

New horizons are opening for Africa, with a growing number of Chinese andIndian businesses fostering its integration into advanced markets. However,significant imbalances will have to be addressed on both sides of the equation to support long-term growth.

Competition Law and Regional Economic Integration is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank’s ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. This study argues that adoption and strengthening of a competition law regime is a key component of the regulatory reforms in the Mediterranean region. It also argues that the competition rules inserted in the Association Agreements signed between the European Union (EU) and the Mediterranean Partners (MPs) currently do not provide adequate protection against anti-competitive practices affecting trade between these blocks. The competition law regimes adopted by the MPs are generally poorly enforced with the consequence that many domestic anti-competitive practices remain unchallenged. Competition authorities in the MPs should develop a realistic enforcement agenda and ensure that the limited resources of these authorities are used in the most effective manner possible. In addition, this study addresses the issue of regulatory convergence between the EU and the MPs in the field of competition law, that is whether the MPs should align their competition rules with European Community competition rules. It argues that while such convergence would bring a series of benefits to both the EU and the MPs, it would also involve costs. The study thus argues in favor of a prudent approach whereby the transposition of EC competition rules would be based on the local circumstances of each country. In its final part, this study proposes a series of steps that could be taken by the European Union and its Mediterranean Partners to strengthen competition policy in the region, including proposals for technical assistance in the field of competition.

This paper examines the objectives and instruments of trade policy in the European Community (EC) from 1987 until mid-1992. It reviews the Community's institutional setting and policy environment as background to recent trends in EC trade policies and trading arrangements. A discussion of key issues and developments in the internal market program and its interactions with the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations is followed by a review of the main issues underlying trade disputes with third countries and trade-related industrial policies.

MENA is one of the richest regions in the world in terms of natural resources: it holds more than 60 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves, mostly located in the Gulf region, and nearly half of gas reserves. Oil represents 80-85 percent of merchandise exports in the region, making it highly depending on fluctuations in international prices. A long strand of economic literature has suggested that such dependence may hurt a country’s growth prospects and the scope for job creation by reducing economic diversification. This volume investigates the effect of natural resources and the role of policies on achieving higher and sustained growth through diversification away from oil. It explores analytical questions which include: (i) the impact of the real exchange rate on manufacturing and tradable services competitiveness in MENA; (ii) the role of fiscal policy in supporting diversification; (iii) how “weak links” (input sectors with low productivity) play a critical role in explaining the concentration of economic activities, in addition to the classical Dutch Disease effect and (iv) the impact of macroeconomic factors on the drive for regional integration Several policy recommendations emerge from this analysis: (i) policymakers should strive to avoid real exchange rate overvaluation through consistent fiscal policies, flexible exchange rates and adequate product and factor market regulations; (ii) reforms to improve the competition and efficiency of upstream input activities are crucial for improving the performance of downstream activities and diversification in MENA (iii) a consistent and transparent fiscal policy is essential to reduce instability, build the fiscal space needed to invest in core infrastructure and human capital and create a favorable environment for diversification; (iv) while regional trade integration is desirable for political, social, cultural and economic reasons, in terms of trade liberalization, this is not the best option for resource-rich countries of the region. Policymakers should take this into account in discussing regional integration options. It is hoped that the findings of this work will be of interest to policymakers, the civil society, donors and practitioners in MENA countries and stimulate the debate of such an important topic.