What is next for sustainable competitive advantages in pandemic outbreak context?

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aimed to validate the sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) measures in Malaysian electronics manufacturing organizations' context after the post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Post pandemic sustainability in competitive advantages have become a buzzword for Malaysian electronics industries in facilitating the value chain generation to consumers, besides enhancing profitability to the organization. SCAs are important when the manufacturer can provide something valuable to the market, and it differs from the competitors, especially during the crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted the quantitative research approach in validating the SCA variables. The questionnaires were self-administered and randomly distributed among the electronics manufacturing organizations across Malaysia, with a total of 207 responses. Concisely, this research theoretically conceptualized SCAs as a multidimensional construct containing two dimensions: lower cost advantage (LCA) and differentiation advantage (DFA).

Findings

Besides, the findings ascertained the strategies to sustain the competitive advantages within an organization, which is underpinned by resource-based theory. In short, findings of this research would be an imperative implication for academicians and organization's policymakers to move forward towards advanced economy and Industrial Revolution 4.0 in the current global competitive environment.

Originality/value

There is no prescription of attaining competitive advantages that suits all conditions in Malaysian electronics industries; this implies that the literature gaps existed, and further research shall be conducted on SCAs.

Citation

Teoh, B.A., Teoh, P.C., Tan, H.C. and Ibrahim, A. (2023), "What is next for sustainable competitive advantages in pandemic outbreak context?", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 72 No. 4, pp. 986-1000. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-06-2021-0336