Effective implementation of competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage: a conceptual model

The fundamental basis of long term success of a firm is the achievement and maintenance of competitive advantage. A body of literature has emerged which addresses the content of competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage as well as its sources and different types of strategies. The paper attempts to track the chronology of thought on competitive advantage and related field and the process that lead to evolution of the thought on sustainability of competitive advantage. An analytical review of the literature and the factors has been presented to group the thoughts under major definitional dimensions of the concept of competitive advantage followed by those of sustainable competitive advantage. The analysis is validated with the help of findings from various industrial contexts and relation between the competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage are established. To conclude, a conceptual model is proposed which shows the process through which a firm can achieve sustainable competitive advantage.