Competitiveness factors: a portuguese perspective

Abstract

This book aims at contributing to the on-going discussion about economies’ performance and firm competitiveness by looking at what the contemporary and emerging factors of firm competitiveness are within the present setting characterized by globalization, the knowledge-based economy and technological and climate change. It looks at what factors are critical for competitiveness, focussing on a Portuguese perspective within the EU context. While an adequate economic and institutional framework in the EU and its member states (an issue addressed within the Lisbon Agenda) importantly conditions firms’ competitiveness, this book primarily deals with the firm level and considers how firms may transform the challenges and constraints brought about by a rapidly changing business environment into economic opportunity. To find out what provides a decisive edge for companies on the global market one needs to analyze the leading competitiveness factors today, but also try to understand what those competitiveness factors will or could look like within the medium and longer term. The book brings together a range of contributions combining illustrative data and theory on the subject of competitiveness from contributors with different backgrounds, notably from business, economics and engineering, in the follow-up of the enterprise of the future project at DEGEI, University of Aveiro. llle book is composed of two parts. Part I addresses competitiveness facro rs in the co ntemporary eco nomy. In mday's world firms need to plan ahead and innovate in the face of an uncenain business environment, they need to be COSt effici ent in production and generally realize COSt effi ciencies and innovation ever more within a cluster and synergy perspective. -nle second part of the book discusses competiti veness with a view to the challenges and indeed opportunities arising from globalization . the knowledge economy and from technological and climate change. Issues addressed regard the internationalisation of the va lu e chain. the role of public institutions for innovation and firm competitiveness, and effi ciency and innovation in energy as a new and emerging competiti veness factor.