Sustainable Competitive Advantage Research Articles

Catalyzing Green Identity and Sustainable Advantage in Tourism and Hotel Businesses

Global environmental concerns necessitate a heightened focus on green practices by businesses to balance sustainability and profitability. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of green ambidexterity (GA), green organizational identity (GOI), and green internal marketing (GIM) on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in travel agencies and hotels. The PLS-SEM approach was used to test the proposed model of the study. In total, 317 valid responses were gathered from full-time middle- and upper-management personnel of travel agencies category A and five-star hotels operating in Egypt. The findings revealed that GA positively impacts GOI, GIM, and SCA. Also, GOI and GIM positively impact SCA. In addition, GOI and GIM mediate the relationship between GA and SCA. The study advanced dynamic capability theory by emphasizing the importance of internal processes in harnessing sustainability-oriented dynamic capabilities. The study recognized the relationship between SCA, GOI, GIM, and GA and provided insightful implications on how businesses might develop and use their sustainability-related strengths.

Entrepreneurial Competencies, Innovation Enablers and Sustainable Competitive Advantage Among Micro Firms Across Cultures: A Comparative Study of Canada and Malaysia

Recent research on start-up businesses has drawn attention to the central importance of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) by accelerating the continuous development of entrepreneurial competencies (EC) through bridging the mediating and moderating peer relationships for entrepreneurial success. Such peer relationships among innovation enablers (IE), government support (GS) and competitive intelligence awareness (CIA) are vital in connecting EC to achieve SCA. However, prior studies scantily emphasized the causal linkages between two different contexts, particularly Canada and Malaysia. This study unpacks the black box of peer relationships contributing to EC and sustainable growth. We espoused a deductive approach with a quantitative methodology using SPSS AMOS version 22 for measurements to address the gaps in the entrepreneurship literature. The dataset comprises 750 respondents from micro-sized wholesale, retail and service firms with 1–3 employees, evenly split between Malaysia and Canada. The empirical sample results show that for Canadian entrepreneurs, the direct effect of EC has a positive and significant influence on SCA, but is negatively and significantly associated in the Malaysian context. Moreover, the CIA had a positive and significant moderating effect on the relationship between EC and IE in both Canadian and Malaysian samples. However, the CIA moderating effect on the relationship between EC and SCA is only positive and significant in the Canadian sample and insignificant in the Malaysian context. Lastly, the moderating effect of GS on the relationship between EC and SCA is positive and significant in the Canadian sample and insignificant in the Malaysian sample. These findings also offer practical clarity to the puzzle of how some EC can become the cornerstone of these firms’ sustainable growth by adopting IE in conjunction with CIA and GS.

CREATIVE AND PURE IMITATION UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL TURBULENCE: EVIDENCE FROM AN EMERGING ECONOMY

Due to the significance of imitation in business success and economic growth, there is an increasing interest of scholars in exploring different dimensions of imitation, illuminating the ‘black box’ of imitation. Given the increasingly turbulent nature of business environments, this study aims to investigate creative and pure imitation-based competitive strategies and their performance under different levels of environmental turbulence. A theoretical framework was tested using a sample of manufacturing firms in Vietnam. The results revealed that creative imitation is positively associated with sustained competitive advantage, while the impact of pure imitation on sustained competitive advantage is negligible. Furthermore, environmental turbulence affects both creative and pure imitation, with only creative imitation mediating the effects of environmental turbulence on sustained competitive advantage. Lastly, environmental turbulence amplifies the effect of pure imitation on sustained competitive advantage, while it has minimal moderating effects on the relationship between creative imitation and sustained competitive advantage. This study contributes to the literature by being the first to examine the effect of environmental turbulence on the performance of both creative and pure imitation strategies.

Effect of green supply chain management practices and operational performance on sustainable competitive advantage

Effect of green supply chain management practices and operational performance on sustainable competitive advantage

The mediating effect of service quality on the relationship between logistics resources and sustainable competitive advantage in Iraqi Kurdistan hotels

The mediating effect of service quality on the relationship between logistics resources and sustainable competitive advantage in Iraqi Kurdistan hotels

Data-driven strategies for business expansion: Utilizing predictive analytics for enhanced profitability and opportunity identification

In today's hyper-competitive business landscape, leveraging data-driven strategies is paramount for sustainable growth and profitability. This review presents an overview of the imperative role of predictive analytics in facilitating business expansion by enhancing profitability and identifying opportunities. Predictive analytics harnesses historical data and advanced modeling techniques to forecast future trends, enabling businesses to make informed decisions with precision. By understanding predictive analytics, businesses can effectively identify expansion opportunities by analyzing market trends, segmenting customer bases, and uncovering new markets and niches. Moreover, predictive analytics empowers organizations to enhance profitability through optimized pricing strategies, demand forecasting, and personalized marketing initiatives tailored to customer preferences and behaviors. Implementing data-driven strategies for business expansion requires building a robust data infrastructure, selecting appropriate tools and technologies, and fostering a data-driven culture within the organization. Real-world case studies illustrate the transformative impact of predictive analytics on business expansion, offering insights into best practices and lessons learned. Despite the undeniable benefits of predictive analytics, challenges such as data privacy concerns, ensuring data quality, and organizational resistance must be addressed. However, the rewards of embracing data-driven decision-making far outweigh the challenges, positioning businesses for sustainable growth and competitive advantage in the dynamic marketplace. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the critical role of predictive analytics in driving business expansion by enhancing profitability and opportunity identification. By harnessing the power of data, businesses can unlock new avenues for growth, mitigate risks, and stay ahead of the curve in today's data-driven economy.

The Way for Companies to Create Green and Sustainable Competitive Advantage

The Way for Companies to Create Green and Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Incremental versus Radical Innovation and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Moderated Mediation Model

Innovation is critical for organizations seeking to build and maintain a sustainable advantage in the competitive market. This study aims to construct a moderated mediation model to examine the effects of incremental and radical innovations on competitive advantage, which considers the mediating role of innovation speed and the moderating role of a supportive culture. Data from 201 Chinese firms were collected through questionnaires and the research hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis and bootstrapping techniques. The empirical results show that incremental and radical innovations have a significant positive effect on competitive advantage. Radical innovation has a greater impact on competitive advantage compared to incremental innovation. Innovation speed mediates the relationship between incremental and radical innovations and competitive advantage. Supportive culture positively moderates the relationship between incremental and radical innovations and innovation speed. Moreover, supportive culture positively moderates the conditional indirect effect of incremental and radical innovation on competitive advantage through innovation speed. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

Entrepreneurial management, competitive advantage and SME performance: evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose There is a paucity of empirical studies on the impact of entrepreneurial management on small and medium enterprises (SME) performance. Against this backdrop and drawing upon the resource-based view, this study aims to explore the relationship between entrepreneurial management and SME performance and the mediating role of competitive advantage in an emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a survey research design and a quantitative approach. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data from a conveniently selected sample of 174 manufacturing SMEs in Nigeria. This study performed mediation analysis to test the proposed hypotheses using Hayes’ PROCESS macro v4. Findings The findings indicate that entrepreneurial management positively impacts competitive advantage and SME performance. Furthermore, competitive advantage has a positive impact on SME performance and plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between entrepreneurial management and SME performance. Research limitations/implications This study only examines manufacturing SMEs in a single country, Nigeria; thus, the generalisability of its findings is limited. Practical implications The findings of this study offer practical implications for SMEs and SME owners or managers. The findings suggest that to gain a sustainable competitive advantage and achieve superior performance, SMEs should pursue opportunities regardless of the available resources, promote flat and flexible organisation structures, adopt fast growth orientation and strategies, reward employees based on the value they add to the organisation and foster an entrepreneurial culture. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence of the mediating effect of competitive advantage on the relationship between entrepreneurial management and SME performance in an emerging economy. This study demonstrates that implementing entrepreneurial management practices by SMEs can result in sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance.

Pursuing sustained competitive advantage through the use of process management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how process management (PM) can support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in pursuing sustained competitive advantage. For this purpose, a dynamic capabilities (DC) lens was used. Design/methodology/approach A narrative literature review and a multiple case study with an action research approach at two road freight transport companies were used. Findings PM provides structure and system thinking to support the development of competitive advantage. Concerning PM, management of knowledge, management style and process orientation are key factors for the generation of competitive advantage for SMEs. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to PM literature by studying its support for and implementation at SMEs. Furthermore, the study contributes to the literature on DC by providing concrete examples of activities linked to such capabilities. Practical implications This study contributes to practitioners by providing examples of implementing PM and identifying competitive advantage, connected with PM elements. Social implications This study has social and environmental implications for the quality of life of the Swedish people. Originality/value This paper contributes to clarifying the connection between the research fields of quality management and DC to explore how PM can support SMEs in pursuing sustained competitive advantage.

Customer-Centric Strategies: Navigating the Dynamics of Marketing Management for Competitive Advantage

The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of customer-centric strategies in marketing management and their implications for organizational success. Adopting a literature review approach, this research synthesizes insights from various disciplines to elucidate the multifaceted nature of customer-centricity. The research design employs a qualitative approach, drawing on existing scholarship to elucidate key concepts and frameworks in customer-centricity. The findings highlight the paramount importance of prioritizing customer needs and preferences, aligning organizational culture and processes with customer goals, and leveraging technological innovations to enhance customer experiences. The discussion underscores the challenges and opportunities presented by the digitalization of commerce, emphasizing the need for organizations to adapt and innovate in response to changing consumer behaviors and market dynamics. The implications of this study extend to both theory and practice, offering valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers alike. By embracing a customer-centric mindset and integrating interdisciplinary perspectives, organizations can develop robust strategies that drive sustainable competitive advantage in today's dynamic markets.

How Enterprises Achieve Frugal Innovation: A Configurational Study Based on the Model of Organizational Symbiosis

Frugal innovation offers cost-effective, demand-driven products for consumers in emerging markets. By leveraging this approach, enterprises can capitalize on opportunities, boost profits, and nurture beneficial consumer relationships. This study uses the transaction cost theory to explore how symbiotic relationships within environmental turbulence influence frugal innovation. The goal is to unravel the interconnected factors that drive high-performance frugal innovation, providing enterprises with a roadmap for seizing opportunities, enhancing profitability, and cultivating enduring consumer relationships. Data from 218 Chinese enterprises were collected through a survey and analyzed using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) methods. The research findings indicate that factors such as market dynamics, technological dynamics, collaboration with suppliers and customers, relationship governance, contract governance, and inter-organizational trust are not necessary prerequisites for high frugal innovation performance. Instead, the synergy among these factors is imperative for reaching elevated levels of frugal innovation performance. Furthermore, three distinct pathways to heightened frugal innovation performance were identified: a dual-drive mechanism involving membership relationships and governance mechanisms, a membership-driven approach in dynamic technological conditions, and a governance mechanism-driven approach in dynamic market conditions. This study offers valuable theoretical and practical insights for enterprises pursuing frugal innovation in turbulent environments, guiding them towards sustained growth and competitive advantages in new markets.

Digital transformation at third-party logistics providers: Challenges and best practices

Background: Digital transformation (DT) is key for service providers in the logistics industry to achieve or retain a sustainable competitive advantage. However, for many third-party logistics (3PLs) in South Africa, implementing DT remains a challenge.Objectives: To explore the challenges that hinder the implementation of DT and to present the best practices that are important for achieving success in DT among South African logistics service providers.Method: This study was exploratory and descriptive. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of 10 managers employed by South African 3PLs companies. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, which involved manually coding the findings, the organisation of these ‘codes’ into related areas to construct ‘descriptive’ themes and the development of ‘analytical’ themes.Results: The challenges and best practices of DT implementation centre around leadership and strategic alignment, technological integration and innovation, data management and cybersecurity, and resource optimisation and cost management.Conclusion: Substantial challenges and best practices associated with DT implementation in the logistics sector were identified.Contribution: The significance of the study lies in examining DT through the lens of 3PLs providers in South Africa, a segment not conventionally associated with innovation. The outcomes contribute to academic research and industry practice. Firstly, the findings bridge a critical gap in the existing literature, providing insight into previously unexplored DT challenges and best practices. Secondly, this study provides valuable insights into key areas, offering practical guidance for industry practitioners.

Green innovation: a key strategy for enterprises and countries to gain a competitive edge in the global market

ABSTRACT Green innovation (GI) is an essential part of enterprises and countries for gaining a prior position in the global market. This study aims to investigate the nexus between the Five-Year Plan command-and-control environmental regulation (ER), GI, and global competitiveness. This research investigates the Five-Year Plan command-and-control environmental regulation's impact on high-polluting firms, research and development investments, and environmental concerns, exploring how emission reduction promotes innovation for global competitiveness. The Resource-Based View theory is employed to analyze how unique resources, such as the environmental Five-Year Plan and strategic research and development investments, lead to sustainable competitive advantages. The study gathered data from China Stock Market & Accounting Research, China's statistical yearbook, and Inco Pat databases, employing a continuous Difference-in-Differences (DD) model to assess the Five-Year Plan command-and-control ER's impact on GI Quality. Instruments included GI Quality, Official Promotional Pressure, financial development, and control variables. The findings highlight positive correlations between the Five-Year Plan command-and-control ER and GI, increased research and development investments in high-polluting enterprises, and the beneficial impact of local government commitment to economic development (ED). The practical implications guide enterprises in leveraging the Five-Year Plan command-and-control ER and research and development investments for enhanced competitiveness, while the theoretical contribution lies in illustrating how environmental initiatives serve as valuable strategic resources within the Resource-Based View framework. Researchers, policymakers, and businesses interested in leveraging environmental initiatives for competitive advantages would benefit.

The Use of Strategic Planning Tools for Diversification of Highly-Technological Enterprises in Russian Industry

In times of globalization, national economy reforming and intensification of integration processes the level of competitiveness of industrial enterprises is estimated by many factors, the key of them is innovation activity. Due to innovation the business entity has got an opportunity to strengthen its market positions, improve figures of economic efficiency and create big added value. At the same time results of innovation activity shall target at production and economic work of industrial enterprises and foster supply of new highly-technological goods and services to market, which can be provided by strategic planning. The efficiency of its implementation promotes successful introduction of innovation on market and obtaining sustainable competitive advantages. The author analyzed and studied challenges of strategic planning of innovation development and put forward methods of elaborating the system of strategic planning for diversification of highly-technological enterprises of Russian economy.

Influence of Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure on the Adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning at The Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Organizational capabilities are critical sources of creating and building long-term competitive advantage. Organizations that can develop and deploy unique, inimitable, and valuable capabilities will gain sustainable competitive advantage. There is a dearth of information on the role of organizational capabilities in the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning. Thus, this research analyzed the influence of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure on the adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning at the Kenya Medical Research Institute. This research was premised on the resource-based view theory, technology acceptance model, and dynamic capabilities theory. A descriptive survey design was utilized in the study. Semi-structured questionnaires will be administered for the data-gathering process. A census approach was used to select 52 employees of Kenya Medical Research Institute. The researcher personally issued the questionnaire to the subjects. The drop-and-pick method was adopted later in cases where participants might be unable to complete and return the questionnaires at the time of their administration. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was utilized for descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Regression and correlation analyses were performed to unearth the associations among variables. All ethical conducts were duly followed. Prose discussion was used to display the data collection’s findings and the validity of the questionnaire was conducted by the use of expert opinions that assisted to establish content validity and the supervisor reviewing the items suggested while reliability was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha test. The findings indicated a positive influence of Information and Communication Technology infrastructure on the adoption of ERP. The study concludes that a robust IT infrastructure is essential for supporting the scalability requirements of an ERP system. Senior management support helps in securing necessary resources for the ERP implementation, including budget allocation, staffing, and technology infrastructure. The study recommends that KEMRI should upgrade hardware and software by investing in new servers, storage devices, and networking equipment can help ensure that the IT infrastructure can support the demands of the ERP system.

Exploring the green edge: the role of market orientation and knowledge management in achieving competitive advantage through creativity

This study examines the interconnectedness between Green Market Orientation (GMO) and Green Knowledge Management (GKM) in connection to Green Competitive Advantage (GCA) within Chinese green businesses. This research also focuses on the mediating influence of Green Creativity (GC). Drawing on the Knowledge-Based View (KBV), we examine how GMOs and GKM improve enterprises’ green creativity and subsequent green competitive advantage. Using a comprehensive survey of 325 environmentally conscious Chinese companies and an advanced PLS-SEM analysis, our findings offer several important insights. Our findings reveal that GMOs substantially affect both GC and GCA, highlighting their crucial role in fostering a company’s innovative green capabilities and competitive position. Concurrently, GKM positively affects GC and GCA, emphasizing the importance of effectively using and leveraging green knowledge within businesses. Furthermore, we observe the mediating role of GC in the relationships between GMO and GCA, as well as GKM and GCA. This finding underscores the need to promote GC to maximize the advantages of market orientation and knowledge management in attaining a green competitive advantage. These results not only add to the existing KBV theoretical framework, but they also have important implications for managers because they show how important it is to fully incorporate green practices into an organization’s strategy in order to gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

The Dynamics of Human Capital Development, Employee Commitment, and Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Strategic Perspective

The purpose of this study was to see the impact of “strategic human resources management (HRM) practices” on achieving “competitive advantages” that will be long-lasting, as well as the contribution of “human capital development” and “employee commitment” in information technology sector. IT sector works to establish, preserve, and perpetuate their competitive advantages, similar to other corporate organisations. The data were collected using questionnaire method and this study was conducted on 277 randomly selected employees working in different reputed IT companies. To achieve the objective of the study primary and secondary data were used and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, mediation analysis and likewise using AMOS 22.0, SPSS23. The results of the study showed a linear and favourable relationship between strategic HRM practices and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). Strategic HRM was also found to positively influence human capital development and employee commitment of the IT sector firms. This study further suggests IT sector to prioritise human resources management in their businesses, which will improve human capital development by allowing staff members to acquire implicit expertise that will be challenging and difficult for the rivals to mimic and also add to the literature on sustainable competitive advantages, employment, and human capital development. The finding highlights about IT sector management as well and also the results made an additional argument for employee commitment to achieving a sustained competitive edge. The study further suggested some theoretical and other implications for researchers as well.

Capacidad Dinámica de Innovación, Ventaja Competitiva y Tercera Misión en las IES

This essay raises aspects related to the dynamic capabilities (DC) of innovation and competitive advantages in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), fundamental aspects are presented for this type of institution to achieve development, differentiation and positioning in the global educational field; The importance of the development of the third mission is highlighted, due to the important role they have in achieving quality, through the services offered in relationships and links with the environment; leading HEIs to an extraordinary increase in their capabilities and creating a competitive advantage to function in the changing educational market. The objective was set: Describe and analyze the dynamic capabilities of innovation and the third missionary activity, around the creation of competitive advantages in HEIs. It is a descriptive essay, with a reflective analysis, on the problem raised, based on a macro (field) study in which the observation technique was applied to collect the information with which the SWOT presented was structured. about the case study of said research. With the preparation of this descriptive analysis, it was basically concluded that the failures identified as weaknesses or threats in an organization can be resolved by applying appropriate strategies, and determining the dynamic innovation capabilities available to restructure and reorganize the processes. In the case of HEIs, the rectors and other personnel must investigate, detect, strengthen, and of course take advantage of and improve existing resources, to raise the quality of the processes, services and products they offer; being an unequivocal way to create sustainable competitive advantage, the efficient development of the activities that encompass the third mission.

Responsible innovation and sustainable competitive advantage: is big data the missing link?

PurposeThis study aims to examine the influence of organizational flexibility (OF) and shared vision (SV) on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) with the mediation role of responsible innovation (RI) in the manufacturing industry of a developing country. Furthermore, big data analytics capability (BDAC) serves as a moderator between RI and SCA.Design/methodology/approachThe study's hypotheses are investigated using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. Through simple random sampling, information was gathered from 247 owners/managers of manufacturing SMEs.FindingsThe results elucidate that OF and SV significantly determine RI and SCA. Moreover, RI significantly mediates between SV, OF and SCA. Besides, RI significantly determines SCA. BDAC significantly leads to SCA. Finally, BDAC significantly moderates between RI and SCA.Research limitations/implicationsRI is crucial for manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gain SCA and BDAC is important to address the changing demands of consumers for environment-friendly products. This study gives the public an overview of the different degrees to which SMEs are embracing RI and BDAC; with more environment-friendly initiatives, the natural environment will become more sustainable. Environmental sustainability will benefit each individual living in society.Originality/valueThis study adds value to the existing literature by focusing on predictors that affect SCA. Using dynamic capability theory, this initial study examines the influence of SV and OF on SCA and RI as mediators. Furthermore, BDAC is used as a moderating variable between RI and SCA. Managers, students and researchers can benefit from this study.