Abstract
Traditional manufacturing firms in emerging markets such as China are increasingly facing the challenge of digital transformation for Sustained Competitive Advantage (SCA). Underpinned by the resource orchestration theory, this study posits that organisational resources (relational and technological), transformation capability, and organisational characteristics are configurational conditions for SCA. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), this study reveals multiple pathways – configurational resources and capabilities in sets of necessary and sufficient conditions – leading to SCA in a sample of 206 Chinese clothing manufacturing firms. Results suggest that relational resources are a necessary condition that fundamentally drives SCA; small firms can achieve SCA by combining relational resources and transformation capability, while portfolio technological resources are sufficient for large firms. For organisations with higher levels of global market engagement, both relational and portfolio technological resources are essential for achieving SCA. This study enhances understanding of the interdependence of the causal conditions (e.g., organisational resources and capability) in set relations with the outcome of SCA in different firms considering their size and level of global market engagement.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 102131 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Long Range Planning |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 22 Jul 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2022 |
Bibliographical note
© 2022, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/10.1016/j.lrp.2021.102131Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.
This document is the author’s post-print version, incorporating any revisions agreed during the peer-review process. Some differences between the published version and this version may remain and you are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it.
Funder
National Social Science Foundation of China for the financial support under Grant number [19BJL039].Dr Benny Tjahjono is Professor of Sustainability and Supply Chain Management, and co-leader of the Sustainable Production and Consumption research cluster at the Centre for Business in Society, Coventry University. He has established an overarching research area in Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management. His research track record has been demonstrated by winning a number of research grants from the UK Engineering & Physical Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, European Union and private sectors. His research has been disseminated in the International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, Production Planning and Control, Computers in Industry, etc.
Keywords
- Relational and portfolio technological resources
- Transformation capability
- fsQCA
- Sustained competitive advantage
- Industry 4.0
- Global market engagement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Finance
- Strategy and Management