Toward Enhancing Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Economies of Africa: A Confirmatory Analysis

Salisu, Yakubu; Julienti, Lily

doi:10.31580/ijer.v2i2.898

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 39 publications

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“…Barney (1991:114) states that 'an information processing system that is deeply embedded in a firm's management decision making process may hold the potential of sustained competitive advantage'. This view is supported by Hoffman (2000) and Salisu and Julienti (2019) who point out that the ability of firms to adapt to a changing technological environment is key to enhancing firm SCA.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Micro-economic drivers of the South African foundry industry

Phiri

Tolmay

Schalkwyk

2023

South African Journal of Economic and management Sciences

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Background: The foundry industry plays an important economic role in South Africa and all efforts should be made to sustain the industry. However, the problem is that many foundries are closing down due to economic factors.Aim: The primary research objective was to identify from literature the micro-economic drivers applicable to the sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) of foundries in South Africa. The secondary objectives were to benchmark the perceptions of stakeholders in the most prominent micro-economic drivers identified from literature.Setting: With micro-economic drivers identified, management can then compile a SCA strategy to retain the industry. Foundry representatives from foundries located in all nine provinces of South Africa were invited to participate in the study.Method: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was followed by first employing a quantitative approach, followed by a qualitative approach to identify the most prominent micro-economic drivers. Descriptive data analysis was utilised for the quantitative data and thematic analysis was utilised for the qualitative phase.Results: It was found that the most prominent micro-economic drivers are product quality, the ability to innovate, employees’ skills development, and investment in plant infrastructure.Conclusion and contribution: The article contributes towards the deficiency in literature by presenting the most prominent micro-economic drivers for the South African foundry industry. The article also makes recommendations on SCA strategies for foundries in South Africa based on the four micro-economic drivers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Micro-economic drivers of the South African foundry industry

Phiri

Tolmay

Schalkwyk

2023

South African Journal of Economic and management Sciences

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Examining the causal relationships among factors influencing SMEs' competitive advantage: a TISM-neutrosophic MICMAC approach

William¹,

Suresh

Subramanian

2023

BIJ

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PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a major source of employment and revenue growth in developing nations like India, but they also face challenges from resource shortages, shifting consumer demand and heightened competition. This research aims to discover the aspects that enhance SMEs' competitiveness and performance.Design/methodology/approachBy analyzing literature and consulting experts, 10 factors that boost a firm's competitiveness were identified. The total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) method was then used to determine their interaction and structural hierarchy. Neutrosophic-MICMAC analysis was employed to assess the driving-dependence power of each factor.FindingsThe study discovered that the factor, namely “entrepreneurial orientation,” was found to be a significant one. “Manufacturing strategy” was found to be extremely dependent on the remaining competitive advantage factors.Research limitations/implicationsThis SME-focused framework can be adopted by large businesses to enhance organizational performance by focusing on critical factors. The study depends on experts' judgment, which might be biased. Findings will assist SMEs in identifying significant factors influencing competitive advantage and relationships, increasing awareness of factors contributing to competitive edge.Practical implicationsThe results of the research may encourage SME sector managers and practitioners to prioritize the factors that contribute to a firm's competitive advantage.Originality/valueThe majority of research on SME competitive advantage focuses on individual aspects. To add to the body of knowledge on the subject, this study applies the TISM technique to Indian SMEs to identify the contextual interactions among factors that increase long-term competitiveness.

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