Sustainable competitive advantage in turbulent business environments

Abstract

The future competitiveness of manufacturing operations under dynamic and complex business environments relies on forward-thinking strategies. The objective of this paper is to identify and develop the operational competitiveness in a sustainable manner by implementing a unique sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) for managing dynamic business situations. This paper develops a theoretical approach to integrating the core factors which affect operational competitiveness performance, that is to say manufacturing strategy and transformational leadership with technology level, into conceptual analytical models to evaluate overall competitiveness, and utilises sense and respond (S&R) for dynamic decision-making to optimise resource allocations and adjust strategies in order to develop competitiveness potential in a sustainable manner. From the empirical research, the adjustments in manufacturing strategy and transformation leadership by implementing SCA through fast strategy with proposed models are found to be effective and successful in managing turbulent business environments such as the economic crisis. Such proactive operations are proposed as the unique SCA with empirical research carried out in a global context, which provides both theoretical significance and also practical benefit to conclude the experience of managing operations in turbulent business environments.

Keywords:

• operations strategy
• decision support systems
• sustainable competitive advantage (SCA)
• turbulent business environments

Acknowledgement

The author gratefully acknowledges Prof. Josu Takala, University of Vaasa, and Prof. Pekka Kess, University of Oulu, for their constructive comments and suggestions in this research work.