Competitive advantage: operationalizing the concept based on the Resource-Advantage Theory

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop a method based on the “competitive advantage” concept for the internal analysis of organizations in the context of competition. A qualitative and exploratory research was carried out. From a theoretical literature review on this subject, a preliminary internal analysis methodology was developed, which was then improved with the information collected from the field research. The field research consisted of six case studies conducted in companies working in the area of agrochemical industry in Brazil. Hence, this study proposes a way to operationalize the concept of resources (a theoretical gap observed by some authors). In managerial terms, this study contributes providing administrators with a method of analysis that deals with decisions regarding the management of resources of an organization.