Ngowi, A B; Iwisi, D S and Mushi, R J (2002) Competitive strategy in a context of low financial resources. Building Research & Information, 30(3), pp. 205-211. ISSN 0961-3218
Abstract
Traditionally, firms in developing countries, especially in Africa, cannot mobilize large-scale financial resources and assets to create competitive advantage against larger international companies from developed countries. An alternative strategy is developed to create new competitive advantages for construction firms with low financial resources. Resource-based strategic management is reviewed and its relevance extended to the construction industry. A pilot study involving ten construction companies in Botswana assessed their attempts to create competitive advantages. This case study indicates that small construction firms with low financial resources can build competitive advantages by creating firm-specific capabilities rather than imitating the strategies of large construction firms that are often based on the accumulation of large physical and financial resources.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Botswana; business strategy; competitive advantage; contractors; firm-specific capability building; innovation; management; regionalism; SMEs; technology transfer |
| Index terms: | Botswana, business strategy, small construction firm, strategy, construction firm, construction company, developing country, competitive advantage, regionalism, case study, Africa, competitive strategy, construction industry, technology transfer, strategic management, developed country |
| Subjects: | market analysis, industry analysis, management, development economics, Geography, economic analysis, regions and continents, knowledge management, organization, business, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Business Strategy, International Construction |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here