Resource-Based View in the Context of Industrial Clusters: A Study in Software Development Firms

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the internal and external resources present in two companies inserted in a software cluster in the State of Paraiba and to analyze the impacts on the companies’ competitive advantage. The theoretical approach adopted was the resource-based view and the literature on industrial clusters. An in-depth qualitative approach was used, using the case study method. An analysis model was developed to two companies that are part of the cluster under investigation. As a result, 22 internal resources (classified as physical, human, organizational and financial resources) and 17 external resources (classified as systemic and restricted access) were identified, which were evaluated to verify the impact on the competitive advantage of the companies studied. It was found that certifications, investments in projects and public notices (internal resources), collective learning and export programs (external resources) are the ones that contribute to the competitive advantage of the studied companies. The study presents contributions to guide decision makers on how to use their internal and external resources in order to achieve competitive advantage.

Keywords

• visão baseada em recursos
• cluster
• vantagem competitiva