Competitive potential of trade organization : theoretical and methodological foundations of formation and realization

Problematics of competitive potential of organization does not have any multi-disciplinary limitations of research. Study of competitive potential in connection with factors of its formation and conditions for realization, including competition, competitiveness, and competitive advantages of organization, was conducted by many scientists. At that, in view of sectorial specifics, there is domination of works devoted to study of competitive potential of production, not trade, organizations. Idea of sense, content, and structure of competitive potential, factors and conditions of its dynamics are not characterized by integrity of opinions, which leads to necessity for specification of theoretical aspects of formation of competitive potential. Methodology of study of competitive potential of organization in part of substantiation of evolutional approach and development of methodological tools which ensure its realization in analytical practice requires further development. Trade organizations have a need for concept and tools of development of competitive potential which correspond to modern realia of development of competitive relations in consumers market. These problems on the whole determine hypothesis of research and predetermined formulation of its goal and tasks. The purpose of the research consists in setting and solving scientific problem in the sphere of specification of theoretical aspects of formation of competitive potential in regard to specifics of activities of trade organizations, development of methodology, and methodological provision of its study, concept, and tools of development. In the conducted research, the authors distinguish the main aspects of treatment of competitive potential of organization and perform structuring of competitive potential of trade organization and determined conditions for provision of its dynamics; methodological approaches to study of competitive potential of organization are generalized, and evolutional approach and its methodological instrumentarium are substantiated; factors and conditions of realization of competitive potential of trade organizations are studied. Recommendations, formulated in the article, could be used for solving problems related to creation of new competitive advantages of enterprises and their effective realization.peer-reviewe

Post-Vaccination and Post-Infection Immunity to the Hepatitis B Virus and Circulation of Immune-Escape Variants in the Russian Federation 20 Years after the Start of Mass Vaccination

A neonatal vaccination against the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was initiated in Russia 20 years ago, with catch-up immunization for adolescents and adults under the age of 60 years launched in 2006. Here, we have assessed the humoral immunity to HBV in different regions of Russia, as well as the infection frequency following 20 years of a nationwide vaccination campaign. We have also evaluated the role of immune-escape variants in continuing HBV circulation. A total of 36,149 healthy volunteers from nine regions spanning the Russian Federation from west to east were tested for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to HBV capsid protein (anti-HBc), and antibodies to HBsAg (anti-HBs). HBV sequences from 481 chronic Hepatitis B patients collected from 2018–2022 were analyzed for HBsAg immune-escape variants, compared with 205 sequences obtained prior to 2010. Overall, the HBsAg detection rate was 0.8%, with this level significantly exceeded only in one study region, the Republic of Dagestan (2.4%, p p > 0.05). The population dynamics of immune-escape variants predicted by Bayesian analysis have remained stable over the last 20 years, indicating the absence of vaccine-driven positive selection. In contrast, the wild-type HBV population size experienced a rapid decrease starting in the mid-1990s, following the introduction of mass immunization, but it subsequently began to recover, reaching pre-vaccination levels by 2020. Taken together, these data indicate that it is gaps in vaccination, and not virus evolution, that may be responsible for the continued virus circulation despite 20 years of mass vaccination