IS SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ANTEDILUVIAN?

Abstract

This article aims to understand the contemporary relevance of the sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) concept in strategic management. Mainstream management and business training perpetuates the use of SCA despite indications that it is elusive. This study intends to elucidate how, in the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) world, SCA has become irrelevant, what the possible reasons are for its continued use and what alternatives can be explored for business success. The study followed an exploratory, constructivist grounded theory approach. Data were obtained from 27 semi-structured interviews to develop a grounded theory. Findings revealed four main themes, and pronounce that in a complex, interconnected business world, SCA is mostly obsolete, which demands an organisation to adapt its strategy, business model and culture to create value, be relevant, have a significant (positive) impact and contribute to the common good. The main implication of the study is therefore that SCA should no longer be promoted as a key concept for organisational success by management and academia. Alternatives to SCA, such as agility and complexity management, are more relevant in an interconnected 4IR business environment. The study enhances the body of knowledge by bolstering the critique on the continued use of SCA in contemporary business management. It furthermore highlights potential erroneous assumptions through a direct explanation of why SCA assumptions are antiquated.

Keywords

• strategy
• sustainable competitive advantage
• organisational change
• disruptive change
• 4ir