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Towards a Theoretical Model for Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Research Agenda

Received: 9 January 2017     Accepted: 24 January 2017     Published: 9 March 2017
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Abstract

Each firm faces a unique set of competitors when similarities among products and resources are considered to identify competitors. Despite much debate in the strategy literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, little consensus has been generated. Thus, the gap the current paper seeks to fill. The study’s objectives are as follows; to review the extant theoretical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to review the extant empirical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to identify the gaps in literature that will help in understanding the relationship between strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance and to propose a theoretical framework based on the identified theoretical and empirical gaps. This study will be important in terms of empirical enhancement since past studies have limitation of the empirical research on strategic assets and competitiveness in regards to being imperfect comparability of results across different studies using different variables (features) describing competitiveness. This paper contributes to the theoretical research on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance not only by the synthesis of old and new writings as well as the findings of the exploratory studies, but also by concept synthesis. Since the concept of strategic assets and competitive capability can be reported to individual product/service, enterprise/farm, industry, economic sector, region, nation or international economic blocks, the attempts towards creating one common definition of strategic assets, competitive capabilities seem to be doomed to fail. This study is significance because it will be used in the developing of government policies on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and its links to performance which requires an understanding of the major factors that facilitate or impede firms’ ability to compete. These factors can, however, differ depending on a country, region or industry. This study will facilitate polices on public spending and taxes, exchange rates, interest rates, and government regulatory activities as some of the examples of key macroeconomic determinants of competitiveness.

Published in Science Journal of Business and Management (Volume 5, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11
Page(s) 45-53
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities, Competitive Advantage, Resource heterogeneity, Organization’s Capability and Firm Performance

References
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  • APA Style

    Justus Kyengo, James Kilika. (2017). Towards a Theoretical Model for Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Research Agenda. Science Journal of Business and Management, 5(2), 45-53. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11

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    ACS Style

    Justus Kyengo; James Kilika. Towards a Theoretical Model for Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Research Agenda. Sci. J. Bus. Manag. 2017, 5(2), 45-53. doi: 10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11

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    AMA Style

    Justus Kyengo, James Kilika. Towards a Theoretical Model for Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Research Agenda. Sci J Bus Manag. 2017;5(2):45-53. doi: 10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11,
      author = {Justus Kyengo and James Kilika},
      title = {Towards a Theoretical Model for Strategic Assets, Competitive Capabilities and Firm Performance: A Research Agenda},
      journal = {Science Journal of Business and Management},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {45-53},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjbm.20170502.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjbm.20170502.11},
      abstract = {Each firm faces a unique set of competitors when similarities among products and resources are considered to identify competitors. Despite much debate in the strategy literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, little consensus has been generated. Thus, the gap the current paper seeks to fill. The study’s objectives are as follows; to review the extant theoretical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to review the extant empirical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to identify the gaps in literature that will help in understanding the relationship between strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance and to propose a theoretical framework based on the identified theoretical and empirical gaps. This study will be important in terms of empirical enhancement since past studies have limitation of the empirical research on strategic assets and competitiveness in regards to being imperfect comparability of results across different studies using different variables (features) describing competitiveness. This paper contributes to the theoretical research on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance not only by the synthesis of old and new writings as well as the findings of the exploratory studies, but also by concept synthesis. Since the concept of strategic assets and competitive capability can be reported to individual product/service, enterprise/farm, industry, economic sector, region, nation or international economic blocks, the attempts towards creating one common definition of strategic assets, competitive capabilities seem to be doomed to fail. This study is significance because it will be used in the developing of government policies on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and its links to performance which requires an understanding of the major factors that facilitate or impede firms’ ability to compete. These factors can, however, differ depending on a country, region or industry. This study will facilitate polices on public spending and taxes, exchange rates, interest rates, and government regulatory activities as some of the examples of key macroeconomic determinants of competitiveness.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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    AB  - Each firm faces a unique set of competitors when similarities among products and resources are considered to identify competitors. Despite much debate in the strategy literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, little consensus has been generated. Thus, the gap the current paper seeks to fill. The study’s objectives are as follows; to review the extant theoretical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to review the extant empirical literature on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance, to identify the gaps in literature that will help in understanding the relationship between strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance and to propose a theoretical framework based on the identified theoretical and empirical gaps. This study will be important in terms of empirical enhancement since past studies have limitation of the empirical research on strategic assets and competitiveness in regards to being imperfect comparability of results across different studies using different variables (features) describing competitiveness. This paper contributes to the theoretical research on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and firm performance not only by the synthesis of old and new writings as well as the findings of the exploratory studies, but also by concept synthesis. Since the concept of strategic assets and competitive capability can be reported to individual product/service, enterprise/farm, industry, economic sector, region, nation or international economic blocks, the attempts towards creating one common definition of strategic assets, competitive capabilities seem to be doomed to fail. This study is significance because it will be used in the developing of government policies on strategic assets, competitive capabilities and its links to performance which requires an understanding of the major factors that facilitate or impede firms’ ability to compete. These factors can, however, differ depending on a country, region or industry. This study will facilitate polices on public spending and taxes, exchange rates, interest rates, and government regulatory activities as some of the examples of key macroeconomic determinants of competitiveness.
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Author Information
  • Department of Business Administration, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Department of Business Administration, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

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