The Realities and Illusions of Defending Competitive Advantage

This book delves into the enduring legacy and evolving relevance of the resource-based view (RBV) in strategic management and marketing. Since Professor Jay Barney's groundbreaking 1991 paper on RBV and sustained competitive advantage, this framework has dominated strategic management research and practice for over three decades, influencing adjacent fields such as marketing. However, in today’s rapidly shifting global business environment, where traditional strategies are increasingly replaced by innovative and adaptive approaches, the RBV’s continued relevance is under scrutiny. This book addresses the critical question of whether RBV theory remains a viable tool for achieving sustained competitive advantage or if it has reached the limits of its applicability. By examining resource-based dynamics from diverse marketing management perspectives, the book offers fresh theoretical and practical insights into the future potential of RBV to drive competitive advantage for firms and their products.

This book is an essential resource for students, academics, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of strategic management, marketing, and business strategy. It is particularly relevant for those interested in exploring how firms can leverage their resources to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing global marketplace.

The chapters in this book were originally published in Journal of Strategic Marketing.

Demetris Vrontis is Professor at the School of Business of the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), Executive President of the EuroMed Academy, and Managing Director of the Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science. He is listed by Stanford University among the top 2% of scientists worldwide (career and year) across all scientific disciplines.

Riad Shams is Assistant Professor of Marketing and PhD Program Leader at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. He serves on the Board of the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (UK) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Dr. Shams is also Associate Editor of the Journal of Social Entrepreneurship.

Alkis Thrassou is Professor at the School of Business of the University of Nicosia (Cyprus), Director of Gnosis Mediterranean Institute for Management Science and is listed by Stanford University among the Top 2% Scientists in the world (year), across all scientific disciplines.

Vijay Pereira is Professor, Founder and Managing Director of the Growth, Productivity, and Entrepreneurship Centre of Excellence (GPEC-X) in London, UK. He holds the adjunct positions of Distinguished Full Professor at the Goa Institute of Management (GIM), India, University of South Pacific, Fiji, and Visiting Professorship at the Indian Institute of Management, Indore, India.