Rudiments of Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Digital Age

Abstract

Theoretical background: Progressive digitalization fundamentally changes companies’ strategies, business models, and operational activities directed to the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage and maximization of long-term company value. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has spurred even further an unprecedented acceleration in the development of digitalization processes in virtually all areas of the economy. The changed competitive reality requires modification of existing and development of new rules and tools of strategic management that will help contemporary companies to cope with the challenges associated with the new competitive landscape. The views on the ways of building a competitive advantage dominating in the literature on the subject become questionable in the light of changes related to the digitalization of the economy. In this context, the issue of defining the term “competitive advantage” in new conditions and its sources, first of all, the role of knowledge in shaping it, is of particular importance. Purpose of the article: This article aims to define sustainable competitive advantage and identify its sources in the digital economy. It also refers to the issue of new tools and areas of strategic analysis that companies should implement to formulate their strategies. Research methods: The considerations in the article are presented on the background of the extensive integrative literature review. The article uses the method of critical analysis and synthesis of opinions of other authors as well as logical inference. Main findings: The progressive digitalization of the economy fundamentally changes how modern organizations pursue competitive advantage as part of the implemented strategy. A sustainable competitive advantage should be equated with creating and capturing value rather than beating competitors. A prerequisite for sustainable competitive advantage is the development and application of innovative knowledge that creates essential value for customers in the long term. Strategic analysis in the digital age should embrace consumer needs, the organization’s network connections and data flow, the structure of platforms and digital ecosystems, the revenue streams in networks, the types of a network, and learning effects.