Revisiting the progression of competitive capabilities: results from a repeated cross-sectional investigation

Abstract

The progression of capabilities according to the sand cone model is a commonly accepted notion in production and operations management. However, this progression, which implies development over time, has only been tested with cross-sectional data from single time periods. In this paper, we investigate competitive capability progression (CCP) using a repeated cross-sectional design, approximating the temporal dimension inherent in the concept. The contributions of our paper are threefold. First, we test whether the sand cone model of CCP can be replicated in a repeated cross-sectional design. Second, we examine the cumulative reinforcement patterns among capabilities by investigating the links between them, thereby assessing the robustness of the configuration prescribed by the sand cone model over time. And third, we examine whether the configurations in which cumulative capabilities are pursued differ across the two time periods, and how they influence improvements in manufacturing plant performance.